The Kerala High Court in the case In Re Bruno v. Union of India & Ors observed and has constituted an Expert Committee in order to aid and advice with regards to the short-term and long-term measures in order to address the problem of human-wildlife conflict, the restoration of wildlife habitats, the restoration of wildlife corridors and thus, also for the matters which are being incidental to the same.
The Division bench comprising of Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P. in the case observed and has stated its suggestion while hearing of the case which pertains to the translocation of the rogue elephant ‘Arikomban’ to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve from Chinnakanal.
The court stated that from the names which are suggested by the State Government and Amicus Curiae S. Ramesh Babu, the Court appointed Pramod G. Krishnan IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Vigilance and Forest Intelligence and the Sri. O.P. Kaler IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Rtd.), the Dr.M.Ananda Kumar, Nature Conservation Foundation, Valparai and Dr.P.S.Easa, Chairman, Care Earth Trust, Chennai, as the member of Committee. Therefore, the Amicus Curiae would act as the Convenor of the said Committee.
It has also been directed by the said court that the said committee to meet at the earliest in the forthcoming week and will suggest to the Court the terms of reference that would guide of the functioning of it.
Further, the court directed the committee in the case to ensure that the Task Forces constituted by the Court in various Panchayats, would meet of every month with reports which is being placed before it so that the Committee could bring to the notice of the Court, any directions which is required to be issued with regards to any matter therein. Adding to it, the court stated that the terms of reference which are placed by the Committee shall also necessarily include the monitoring of the Task Forces. Therefore, the Government of Kerala in the Forest and Wildlife Department has also been directed in order to fix the honorarium which is to be paid to the non-official members of the Committee, which includes the Convenor.
It has also been directed by the said court that the State Government and the Central Government as well as the various Departments which being under the same in order to render the necessary assistance to the Committee, wherein it included the furnishing the information which is required by the Committee for carrying out their functions. The court in the case observed and reminds that any failure which being on the part of any Official in order to cooperate with the Committee would also be viewed seriously and will be regarded as a direct breach of the directions in the said Order.
Accordingly, the court posted the matter to be next heard for further consideration on May 25, 2023.
