T-1 death: NTCA to take legal recourse
MUMBAI: After Maharashtra government failed to respond to three reminders regarding lapses and violations identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for tigress T-1 or Avni’s death, the panel has decided to seek legal recourse. Anup Nayak, additional director general, NTCA, said they will issue a show cause notice to the government next week. The NTCA, which had said the private hunters commissioned to kill the tiger had violated wildlife laws, has accused the state of violating the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 by not taking punitive action. “Despite three reminders, including one to the chief secretary, Maharashtra government, we have still not received any response. Our own findings as well as Maharashtra’s own independent committee’s findings were clear the private hunters need to be prosecuted as several guidelines were violated while killing this tigress,” he said.
The government said they were waiting for the state committee to respond to queries over exact provisions of three acts that were violated. “To have more clarity and to take the matter to law and judiciary department, we needthecommittee’sresponseon specific sections that were violated,” said Swapnil Deshbhratar, officer on special duty (wildlife wing), Mantralaya. “We will expedite the process so we can send our response to NTCA and take further action.” Chief wildlife warden, Nitin Kakodar, said the report was being finalised. “It will be submitted soon.”