2 min readNew DelhiFeb 20, 2015 01:49 AM IST
First published on: Feb 20, 2015 at 01:49 AM IST
Govt told court no monkey had died of starvation.The Delhi High Court has directed the state government to ensure that the process of floating e-tenders and awarding contract for feeding monkeys in the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is completed in four weeks.
Justice Suresh Kait passed the order on Thursday after the Delhi government, through advocate Zubeda Begum, informed the court that Rs 25 lakh had been sanctioned by the Finance department for feeding monkeys until March 31, by which time the e-tender is likely to be floated for awarding contract for supply of fruits and vegetables.
The government also claimed that no monkey was left hungry or had died of starvation at the sanctuary. Some objections were raised by the Finance department, which were sorted out “and now there is regular feed for the monkeys. It is further clarified that even during the time when objections were raised by department, monkeys were being regularly fed,” she said.
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The court disposed of a plea seeking contempt proceedings against the Delhi government for allegedly failing to comply with the court’s 2007 direction to provide food to monkeys rehabilitated at the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Delhi government, in an affidavit submitted in court, said in compliance of High Court directions, it had issued an advertisement to stop people from feeding monkeys at public places but, despite such advertisements, the practice has not stopped, allowing simians to multiply. This has rendered the entire translocation process a “futile exercise”, the affidavit states.
Under a March 2007 High Court order, food collection centres were required to be created for monkeys shifted to the sanctuary.
Govt told court no monkey had died of starvation.
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