Why deprive children of the view, asks HC
Let children see the Humboldt penguins, why do you want to deprive them of the opportunity, the Bombay high court (HC) on Friday asked a petitioner who wants the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to return the bird to South Korea’s capital Seoul, where they were brought from.
Eight penguins were brought to Mumbai on July 26, 2016. A female penguin, Dory, died on October 23.
“The penguins will survive. Over a period of time, they will get acclimatised,” said a bench after the petitioner advocate Advait Sethna expressed fears that the birds may not survive in Mumbai’s hot weather.
“Sometimes, things have to be done on a trial basis,” the bench said.
After Sethna contended that several local animals had died in the zoo in the past few years because of lack of proper care and facilities, the bench issued a notice to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), seeking a reply.
Sethna said the CZA has already issued a notice to the zoo over lack of proper kitchen and other facilities.
Senior advocate Anil Sakhare, who represented the BMC, countered the contention saying the CZA representatives inspect the zoo every year, and the zoo authorities plug the loopholes pointed by them.
Sakhare said the civic body was not averse to a visit by an expert or inspection of the zoo.
Sethna argued that the penguins fall under the category of vulnerable species under international conventions.
But the bench questioned whether international law or the law in India prohibited exhibition of the penguins.
“Is any legal procedure violated? Show us what law prohibits exhibition of penguins,” said the bench.
The judges said it would be better for experts to visit the facility and report to the court as to whether the penguins were being looked after properly or not.