Delhi High Court: In a set of petitions filed by two Non-Governmental Organizations (‘NGO’) namely ‘Nyaya Bhoomi’ and ‘The Society for Public Cause’ in Delhi, a Division Bench of Manmohan, CJ. and Tushar Rao Gedela, J. directed the MCD and NDMC to carry out a year-long public awareness campaign to inform people how feeding is not beneficial to the monkeys and to file a status report within three weeks.
Background
By way of an amendment to the (‘Act’), a species of monkey common to Delhi, the Rhesus macaque has been delisted from Schedule of the . Due to the delisting, this species of monkeys no longer has a protected status under the act and have to be treated at par with a stray cat or a dog by the civic authorities.
Analysis and Decision
The Court said that it is humans who have enticed the monkeys out of their natural habit by feeding them and said that giving them bread, chapattis, and bananas harms them and puts them in conflict with people.
The Court stated that as a corrective measure, the civic agencies should carry out a year-long public awareness campaign to inform people how their feeding is not beneficial to the monkeys. Information should also be given as to how feeding harms animals in various ways by increasing their dependence on humans and reduces natural distance between wild animals and humans.
The Court remarked that the people of Delhi have inherent wisdom and that they will change their behaviour if they realize that feeding wild animals is inimical to animal’s welfare as well as human well-being.
Further, the Court said that the aspect of waste management which is important in an urban ecosystem should also be highlighted in the public awareness campaign. It was said that open garbage in public parks, food hubs, dhabas, and canteens, etc. attracts monkeys and increases human-animal conflict. The Court stated that if people in Delhi want to live in a safe environment, they would have to adopt and not litter food around.
The Court directed the municipal authorities i.e., MCD and NDMC to prepare and implement a programme to deal with the monkey menace. The MCD and NDMC were also directed to ensure that monkeys are shifted from public parks, hospitals, government offices, and residential areas to be rehabilitated in Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, New Delhi.
The Court directed MCD, NDMC, and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to file an updated status report within three weeks.
The matter has been further listed on 25-10-2024.
[Nyaya Bhoomi v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi, W.P.(C) 3346 of 2015, Decided on 30-09-2024]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For Petitioner — Advocate Sumit Kumar
For Respondents — ASC Satyakam, SC Sriharsha Peechara, Advocate Akshat Kurukshetra, Advocate D.S. Bhanu, Advocate Ajjay Arora, Advocate Kapil Dutta, CGSC Rajesh Gogna, Advocate Nipun Jain, Advocate Priya Singh
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