SC allows shifting of deer from Delhi park to Rajasthan

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said that only 38 deer can be retained at the AN Jha Deer Park in New Delhi's Hauz Khas and the remaining have to be relocated to suitable wildlife habitats in neighbouring states.

Accepting the findings of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) which concluded that the Hauz Khas deer park lacks the ecological capacity to sustain the existing deer population, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed authorities to carry out the relocation exercise in a time-bound manner and strictly in accordance with scientific protocols and animal welfare standards.

The court also upheld the Delhi High Court's decision regarding deer's translocation to places outside Delhi while retaining a few of them at the AN Jha Park.

Among its directions, the bench directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps for the relocation of the deer from A N Jha Deer Park in a time-bound manner, under the supervision of the Central Empowered Committee, and in strict adherence to the draft guidelines on Animal Translocation as framed by the Central Empowered Committee.

A plea was filed to challenge the proposed relocation of hundreds of deer from New Delhi to the Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.

The petitioner, an environmental body, sought expansion of habitat within the park instead. However, authorities cited limited carrying capacity, rising deer population, and ecological concerns, including poaching risks.

The court, however, directed that retention of up to 38 deer at A N Jha Deer Park as recommended by the Central Empowered Committee would be permissible only subject to the grant of requisite approvals and clearances by the Central Zoo Authority.

"The DDA shall ensure that it develops and upgrades the logistical capacity, infrastructure, and adequately trained human resources for the upkeep and management of the said deer population. The DDA shall ensure that the retained population has an optimal sex ratio of 15 males to 23 females. Such retention shall be effected only upon and in accordance with the permissions granted by the Central Zoo Authority. In case, the DDA is unable to attain these mandatory compliances, appropriate application may be moved in this court for clarification/further directions," the bench said.

The bench also said that the concerned authorities would take all necessary and proactive steps to comply with the other recommendations made by the Central Empowered Committee.

"In view of the fact that the area comprising the A N Jha Deer Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi stands declared as a protected forest, it is hereby directed that, under no circumstances, shall the nature or status of the said area be altered, and the same shall continue to be maintained as a protected forest at all times in the future," the bench said.