HC asks for report on radio-collaring of tigers

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) to submit a report over the permission granted to and action taken against Dr Ullas Karanth, promoter of the Wildlife Conservation Society, India, and eight other non-governmental organisations for their involvement in killing tigers in Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary during the radio collaring of tigers.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice PD Dinakaran and Justice Anand Byrareddy, heard a public interest litigation filed in this regard by Cheranda Nanda Subbaiah, a coffee planter in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district. The bench directed the PCCF to file the report in two weeks’ time.

Seeking a CBI inquiry into the “anti-wildlife activities”, the petitioner had said, “Ullas Karanth and the eight other NGOs are not interested in protecting the forest and wildlife, but are keen only on grabbing foreign funds.” He added that though the chief conservator of forests had submitted a report in this regard, no action was taken.

The petitioner’s counsel, AK Subbaiah, argued that the NGOs involved must be blacklisted or banned. He had also sought a direction from the court to the state government to initiate and enquiry against the accused based on the enquiry report.