The Pioneer , Thursday, May 05, 2005

Correspondent : Staff Reporter

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Centre and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on an application seeking CBI probe into the dwindling number of tigers in all tiger reserves in the country and not just in Sariska.The apex court has asked the Government to respond to the application by Thursday. The direction by a bench comprising Justice YK Sabharwal, Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice SH Kapadia followed a letter by one Ashok Kumar which was treated as an application in a pending PIL on the matter.Mr Kumar had addressed the letter to Justice Pasayat, seeking a direction to the CBI to continue with its investigation with respect to the dwindling number of tigers in other reserves in the country.Pointing to the CBI report which confirmed that no tiger was left in Sariska, Mr Kumar submitted that the investigating agency should be asked to conduct similar investigations in other reserves such as Panna, Banhambore, Dudwa, Palamu, Kanha and Nagarjun Sagar which faced similar problems.The letter also sought a direction to the Centre and the Rajasthan Government to implement CBI recommendations with regard to Sariska where no tiger is left.The CBI should be directed to submit quarterly reports on the investigation into the dwindling number of tigers, the petitioner said, adding that it should also be empowered to register cases against those involved in poaching, irregularities and other illegal activities.In order to deter people from indulging in trade of wildlife products, the application sought a direction to the Delhi Government to expedite trial of all cases under the Wildlife Protection Act.Mr Kumar, a former member of the steering committee of Project Tiger, alleged that the crisis had been caused by serious systemic deficiencies which the Government had failed to correct.

SOURCE : The Pioneer, Thursday, May 05, 2005