Justice Nagarathna Cautions Against Human Exploitation of Nature at NALSA Conference
She has stressed on having an eco-centric approach as opposed to a humancentric approach while resolving human-wildlife conflicts.;
Justice BV Nagarathna today observed that India has historically upheld a cultural ethos of coexistence with animals, maintaining a delicate balance between humans and nature.
She further cautioned against emerging human-centric trends while speaking at the Southern Regional Conference on “Human–Wildlife Conflict & Co-existence: Legal and Policy Perspectives” at the Kerala Legislative Assembly Hall, Thiruvananthapuram.
The conference has been organised by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in collaboration with the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA).
"India has maintained the very precarious balance between humans and animals because of this inherent culture and belief that you have to share space with animals. However, recent trends appear that the trajectory is towards a human-centric approach and there is a disregard of a fundamental duty enshrined under Article 51(A)(g).”, Justice Nagarathna has said.
Justice Nagarathna also recounted an incident that happened in Mangalore where a leopard and a dog got locked into a toilet for a night without harming each other. She said it teaches us that animals are situation-aware and emotional beings in many ways.
The two-day conference has brought together Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, senior officials from forest and disaster management departments, legal services institutions, and experts to deliberate on legal, policy, and community-based responses to the growing challenge of human wildlife conflict.
The Conference will continue on 31st August 2025 with six thematic sessions focusing on habitat loss, disaster management linkages, compensation frameworks, and tribal rights, reaffirming NALSA’s commitment to take justice beyond courtrooms – reaching vulnerable communities, addressing emerging challenges, and fostering a future of coexistence, compassion, and inclusivity.
The Inaugural Address was delivered by Justice Surya Kant, Executive Chairman, NALSA and the Keynote Address was delivered by Justice Vikram Nath. Justice Nath referred to a recent order passed by a Supreme Court bench led by him on the issue concerning stray dogs and said, "So long I have been known in the legal fraternity for the little work that I do, but I am thankful to the stray dogs for making me known in civil society, not only in this country but world over. And I am also thankful to my Chief Justice for allotting me that matter."
The event also saw the gracious presence of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, Justice Aravind Kumar, and Justice Sarasa Venkatanarayana Bhatti, Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
An address was also delivered by Justice MM Sundresh who invoked the words of Hubert Reeves to underline the urgency of environmental consciousness: “Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature, unaware that this Nature he is destroying is the God he is worshipping.”