New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to conduct an immediate inspection of the locations in Rajasthan where 261 deer have been translocated from Hauz Khas Deer Park in Delhi.
The Court emphasised the need to assess the current condition of the animals amidst serious allegations of wildlife law violations and poor post-relocation survival.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a plea filed by the NGO New Delhi Nature Society, which raised concerns over the ongoing translocation of nearly 600 deer from the Hauz Khas Deer Park without adequate habitat assessment, veterinary safeguards, or protections for vulnerable groups such as pregnant deer and fawns.
The petitioner submitted that three batches of deer had already been shifted to wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan, including Mukundra Tiger Reserve and Gumnamwadi, and alleged that none of the deer in those groups had survived. It was further contended that the abrupt transfer led to the deer falling prey to local predators and triggered an increase in predator-human conflict in the surrounding areas.
The Court took serious note of these claims and directed the officers of the Central Zoo Authority to visit the translocation sites and file a status report on the condition of the deer within two weeks. The Court added:
“In the event it is found that either the deer are not surviving or they are in poor condition, we grant liberty to the petitioner to move this court by filing appropriate application.”
To ensure transparency, the Court mandated that advance notice of the CZA’s visit be given to the petitioner, allowing its representative to be present during the inspection.
Appearing for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), counsel submitted that according to the Rajasthan Forest Department, the survival rate of the deer post-relocation was 98 per cent following the opening of enclosures.
In response to the petitioner’s alternate suggestion of relocating the deer to a proposed deer park in Noida, the Court directed the DDA’s Director of Horticulture to consider the proposal and file a response within six weeks.
The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on July 18.
The interim order restraining the DDA and other authorities from relocating the remaining deer from Hauz Khas Deer Park will continue to remain in effect until further directions from the Court.
