Jumbo conservation: Notice to Union govt

Acting on a report submitted by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice A S Bopanna directed that the Government of India be made a necessary party in connection with elephant conservation.

The KSLSA report relates to overall measures taken to mitigate man- elephant conflict in the State. It was a consolidated report of the meeting of Forest officials, members of Karnataka State Wildlife Board members and members appointed by the High Court.

Additional government advocate R G Kolle submitted that the Union Government has kept in abeyance the translocation of 25 elephants from Hassan region. Out of the promised Rs 3.70 cr for habitat improvement the Union government has released only Rs 1.70 cr, he said.

The High Court had initiated a suo motu petition on elephant conservation following editorial published in Deccan Herald 2008.

The petition was disposed of with a direction to the chief minister to conduct a meeting regularly on the issue.