Supreme Court directs nationwide survey of elephant corridors, seeks report on measures to prevent obstructions

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana made it clear that crop damage cannot be cited as a justification for creating barriers along elephant movement routes.

"We are very clear that there cannot be obstacles in the way of wildlife. Elephant herds have a practice of travelling long distances. No State can say that just because crops are getting destroyed, there have to be obstacles in their path," said CJI Kant.

The bench noted that although guidelines are already in place to protect elephant corridors and facilitate uninterrupted movement across States, ground-level circumstances have resulted in several such routes being blocked or otherwise obstructed.

The Court, therefore, directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to carry out a fresh survey of elephant corridors across the country and place before it a detailed status report.

The report will have to set out the measures and initiatives undertaken by the authorities to identify and remove existing obstructions, as well as steps proposed to prevent such impediments in the future.

It further asked the government to specifically address the use of firearms and other coercive measures against elephants in its report.

The top court was hearing a petition concerning alleged obstruction of elephant corridors across several States.

As the petitioner said steps have to be taken to prevent the use of firearms, fireballs, and mashaals against the natural movement of the elephants, the bench directed the authorities to consider these concerns and place the measures taken in this regard before it in six weeks.

The top court's directions came on a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings for alleged violation of its orders asking State authorities to desist from using fireballs to drive elephants that come near human habitation or croplands. (ANI)