NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it found no reason to disbelieve the Centre’s efforts to make the cheetah project a success. The court disposed of the plea seeking the prevention of cheetah deaths in Kuno National Park. The animals were translocated from South Africa and Namibia.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and PK Mishra said the project was better left to the wisdom of experts in the field rather than the judiciary. “Constitution of the committee is alright, but the concern of the general public and NGOs… what steps are being taken? Once the translocation take place, was it thought about? What you’ve done after the death is the consequences but we are talking about something else,”
Justice PS Narasimha asked during the hearing. Justice Gavai added, “Why have 9 deaths been reported?” Disputing media reports highlighting the deaths of nine translocated cheetahs, ASG Aishwarya Bhati said that 14 were surviving out of 20. Terming the same as “factually incorrect”, she said that the reports which mentioned 9 deaths also included 3 cubs which died due to them developing winter coats that led to infection.
Expressing concerns with regards to the death of 40% of cheetahs translocated from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park in less than one year, the SC had said that it does not present a good picture of Project Cheetah. The bench suggested the Centre consider moving them to another place and sought the government’s response on steps taken to prevent the fall in numbers.
‘Project better left to experts than judiciary’ A bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and PK Mishra said the Centre’s Project Cheetah was better left to the wisdom of experts in the field rather than the judiciary
