Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on statutory body for elephant safety

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Union government to respond to a recommendation made in the 2010 'Gajah Report' on conferring statutory status to a proposed body National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) in order to ensure the preservation of elephant corridors.

The government, for its part, claimed it remained deeply committed to protecting the safety of the elephants and continued to take various steps to prevent their death including of electrocution.

The elephant population has reached 29,964 (as per the census 2017) in India. Elephant habitats are being consolidated across India. The Elephant Reserves area has been increased to 57,07,705 42 sq km, it added.

Hearing a plea by activist Prerna Singh Bindra, a bench presided over by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said, "In the recommendations submitted in Gajah report, there was a recommendation to the effect that "Project Elephant" be converted into a statutory agency."

The bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, suggested that amendments can be made so as to effectuate the conferment of a statutory status on the authority.

"The task force has proposed that the new body may be termed the 'National Elephant Conservation Authority' (NECA). Since the proposal would envisage requisite legislative amendments, this is something of which would be appropriate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change to respond," the bench added.

The court gave Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati four weeks' time to file a response in a PIL filed by activist Prerna Singh Bindra.

The bench also sought a status report on the setting up of the Central Project Elephant Monitoring Committee for the purpose of monitoring and implementing relevant directions and guidelines regarding the conservation and protection of elephants.

The court also directed the Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority to ensure that necessary steps were taken for facilitating an inspection of the protected areas in order to avoid the electrocution of elephants.

The government, in a written response, claimed, "Continuous efforts have been made to minimise the Human Elephant Conflict and also to ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India."

The Ministry also said it provided technical and financial assistance to the States for the protection and conservation of elephants and their habitats. "Rs 223.14 Crores has been released to various states/ Union Territories under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Project Elephant in last ten years," it added.