Delhi HC expresses concern about ‘risk’ of holding event inside Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

The counsel for the Delhi government’s forest department said that leopards by nature are shy and do not attack unless cornered. “They have said about 8-9 leopards; since it is not a tiger reserve we don’t have to count. We know through cameras that there are about 8-9 leopards,” the counsel said.

To this, Justice Singh said orally, “How do you expose people to this when you don’t know their (leopards) whereabouts? You are just hoping that they are shy animals. This kind of an adventure cannot be…god forbid one person is hurt. God forbid, one leopard strays out of the 8-9 ones and comes into a 20-people group. What happens? There may be kids. Exuberant parents may take their 5 or 7-year-old. How do we permit this? It is a good initiative, but the risk is…”.

Meanwhile, advocates Gautam Narayan, Aditya N Prasad and Prabhsahay Kaur, appointed as amici curiae in the matter appeared, and Narayan said that everybody is now aware that the leopard is supposedly roaming around Sainik Farms. He also said that as per the proposal, the number of participants for the walkathon is limited to 100 in a single day and the participants in a batch of 10-20 people will walk from the deputy conservator of forest (south) office main gate to Neeli Jheel, covering a distance of 16 km.

“They are not able to catch one leopard which has escaped the sanctuary and they want people to be walking on a 16km track. They have no manpower. Who will escort these people? This sanctuary is also home to jackals, hyenas, jungle cats, pythons, and different species of snakes. We are entering into a protected zone where all of this flora and fauna is flourishing. Because of the efforts of the forest department there is now a biosphere of sorts,” Narayan said.

When the court queried if the sanctuary should be human-free, Narayan replied in the affirmative and said that the sanctuary is distinct from a zoo and safari.

“When you permit a car it is either in a safari or a zoo. These are not activities which are permitted inside the precincts of a sanctuary. They are managed under different laws which are not overlapping,” he said.

Referring to the leopard spotted near Sainik Farms on Saturday, Narayan emphasised, “Why did the leopard run out? Because we are encroaching on areas which are meant to be inhabited by wild animals. Those spaces are shrinking. Is there no other way of educating people about our forest wealth?”

Giving an example of Jim Corbett National Park, Narayan explained that it is a national park which has a core area at its centre, a buffer area in the periphery, and an eco-sensitive zone where certain activities are permitted.

“There is a proper plan drawn up demarcating these areas in Corbett. Today, in Asola Bhatti there is no demarcation. The plan produced by Forest Research Institute, Dehradun says there will be eco-tourism zone in Bhatti and in Tughlaqabad; but where is the plan, the notification, the map, the demarcation? There is none,” Narayan argued.

Meanwhile, the counsel for the department referred to the management plan of Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary 2015-2016 to 2024-2025 prepared by Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and stated that the tourism inside the sanctuary “has been thought out well and incorporated in the management plan and is not an alien activity”.

As per the plan, tourism can be allowed inside the sanctuary on a limited and regulated basis provided it does not cause disturbance to wildlife, habitat and environment. He, however, said that there is presently no demarcation of core and buffer areas in Asola sanctuary while stating that presently private vehicles are permitted to travel on a 16-km track after taking requisite permissions.

The counsel further said that the total carrying capacity of Asola is 750 visitors per day and they proposed to permit only 200 for the proposed event. He further submitted that the existing statutory regime is being followed, there is an eco-tourism plan and a management plan and its parameters are being followed.

The department had previously stated that the main objective of the proposed event to be held on December 9 and 10 is to “make people aware of the existence of the sanctuary”. The event would involve participants walking and cycling to the forest on the existing track in small groups, it had said.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the high court reserved its verdict on the matter.