New Delhi, May 19: The Delhi High Court today directed all 16 mobile zoos in the country to surrender animals in their possession to the respective state's chief wildlife wardens by July 21.Justice Jaspal Singh, while hearing a petition by all India mobile zoo owners association (AIMZOA), directed the six mobile zoos in Uttar Pradesh and 10 in Bihar to surrender their animals.The central zoo authority (CZA) had refused to grant recognition to these mobile zoos after finding that they had procured the animals in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act and had asked them to surrender their animals.However, the zoo owners had challenged the order of CZA before the government which rejected their plea in April last year.Counsel for CZA, Raj Panjawani, contended that as per the act, the zoo owners should have surrendered their animals within six months of the rejection of their plea and said that the zoo owners were liable for prosecution for violating the law.It may be recalled that Union MinisterManeka Gandhi had filed a petition seeking seizure of animals in possession of the mobile zoos alleging that all these have been procured illegally and were being kept in small cages causing physical pain to them.The AIMZOA had filed the petition saying the zoos were the sole mode for the owners to earn their bread. It said as the government has ordered surrender of the animals in their possession, it should be directed to give suitable compensation to the owners. Justice Singh asked Panjawani to consult CZA on the compensation terms and report to the court on July 21, the next date of hearing.
