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The Madras High Court on Friday issued notice in Public Interest Litigation plea seeking direction to restrain the permission granted by the Tamil Nadu Government and the Central Zoo Authority to a Zoological Centre in Jamnagar for transferring 1000 crocodiles from the State of Tamil Nadu to Gujarat.

A bench of the Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala has issued notice in a plea filed by A Vishwanathan.

It has been submitted that Vishwanathan while doing a study and search on the above issue found discrepancies in the permission granted. In this regard, an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation has also been sought.

The facts leading to the issue are that, in 2019, the Central Zoo Authority made an application to the State of Tamil Nadu for recognition to operate a Rescue Rehabilitation Center and Zoo in Jamnagar, Gujarat. In furtherance of this, the Central Zoo Authority submitted the detailed project report along with the Master Layout Plan and animal collection plan for the said Zoo showing provision for 79 species of Indian and exotic animals and a Leopard Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in a total area of 250.1 Acres.

Later, the Tamil Nadu Government granted recognition to the Green Zoological, Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, for a period of 4 years. In addition to this, the approval was granted by the Tamil Nadu Government on an application of the Green Zoological, Rescue & Rehabilitation Center & the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust permitting the transfer of1000 crocodiles from Tamil Nadu.

The PIL states that the plea has been filed in order to protect the creatures categorized under the wildlife and these species would be put to untold hardships, suffering, and endangered. 

The plea also states, "The grant of permission to the Respondent No.3 to operate the Zoo is not valid because the WLPA and Rules made there under do not provide for operation of a private Zoo. The recognition of the Respondent No. 3 as a ‘Mini Zoo’ is incorrect despite the area of land and quantity of animals proposed in the Master Layout more and this allows the Respondent No. 3 to breach the standards and norms provided for in the Rules of 2009 issued by the Respondent No.1."

It further states that "the criteria for a ‘Mini Zoo’ is that it must have less than 10 hectares of land, less than 1 lakh visitors in a year, less than 10 species of animals and less than 100 animals. On the other hand the Master Layout filed by the Respondent No. 2 is for an area of 101.2 Hectares, 79 species of animals and more than 750 animals which is in fact a qualifying criteria for a ‘Large Zoo’."

Case Title: A.Viswanathan Vs. State of Tamil Nadu and Ors.