Don’t make changes in new policy for Gir Sanctuary:HC to govt

Ahmedabad

The Gujarat High Court today told the state government not to make any changes in the new policy for Gir Sanctuary, the last abode for Asiatic lions, without its approval.

A two-judge bench of acting Chief Justice Jayant Patel and justice N V Anjariya directed that if the government wanted to make any change to the draft policy it should first place the proposal before the Court.

This was after Additional Advocate General Prakash Jani submitted before the HC that the state government wanted to make some changes in the policy as locals near the sanctuary and their elected representatives have represented to the authorities about their objections regarding the new policy.

The locals of the area and their representatives said that they will have to take permission of a central committee to make any construction in their residential buildings. The committee comprises representatives of revenue and forest departments along with the district authorities.

However, they will have to later take the permission of the particular Gram Sabha which might prolong the entire process to take permission just to make any changes in their residential building, the state government said before the HC while seeking its permission to make changes in the new policy.

However, the HC said the matter was pending before it and the new proposed policy was also not finalised, therefore no changes can be made before their approval.

The case will be taken up by the HC in due process.

The state government had put out its policy draft on July 2 after the HC ordered the authorities to frame a new eco-tourism policy for Gir lions sanctuary.

The HC took up the issue as a suo motu PIL on an application filed by a Surat-based person Rajkumar Sutaria who stated illegal mining in the area is life-threatening to wild animals like Asiatic lions, sloth-bears, hyenas and golden jackals.

In August, the HC had directed Gujarat government to seal around 61 under-construction units in Gir that were not given permission of development by the state authorities.

The HC had in June ordered to close down around 67 mining units in the 10km radius of Gir where they were running without no objection certificates from the state and central government.

PTI