10-yr-old elephant can’t be rehabilitated in wild, necessary to be shifted to Vantara for training: Forest dept to HC
The department said that it had become necessary to shift the elephant from the present region to Vantara in Gujarat's Jamnagar run by Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTWET) to train him since he is at "immature age."
The HC then sought a detailed affidavit in reply from the chief wildlife warden to elaborate its stand within a week and posted further hearing to November 14.
Maharashtra government’s forest department on Friday told the Kolhapur circuit bench of the Bombay High Court that it was not possible to rehabilitate 10-year-old elephant named “Omkar” in the wild at present.
The department said that it had become necessary to shift the elephant from the present region to Vantara in Gujarat’s Jamnagar run by Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTWET) to train him since he is at “immature age.”
As reported by The Indian Express in September, the elephant was seen frequently roaming in the forested regions in Sindhudurg district of Konkan region. The sub-adult-male elephant was earlier seen roaming in Pernem region of North Goa after being separated from its six-member herd in Sindhudurg district and was ransacking paddy fields and foraging for coconuts, areca nuts and bananas
The chief wildlife warden of the state Forest Department on Friday made submissions while responding to PIL by one Rohit Prakash Kamble seeking protection and conservation of wildlife particularly elephants entered into Maharashtra through Western Ghats.
On November 4, a division bench of Justices M S Karnik and Ajit B Kadethankar was informed by advocate T J Kapre for state government that the Authorities under Section 11 of The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 have initiated an action to capture the elephant, identified as “Omkar” and to rehabilitate the elephant to some other place, preferably at Vantara.
The state lawyer further submitted that it had become necessary to shift the elephant to Vantara and shifting and rehabilitation procedure is “only and only in the interest of the elephant as also to avoid the wildlife and human conflict”.
On November 7, the state lawyer on behalf of the chief wildlife warden submitted that the authorities are “satisfied that the elephant ‘Omkar’ cannot be rehabilitated in the wild” as per second proviso to Section 11(a) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which stipulated that the Chief Wildlife Warden has to record reasons for the same in the writing.
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The HC then sought a detailed affidavit in reply from the chief wildlife warden to elaborate its stand within a week and posted further hearing to November 14.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
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Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
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