Notices issued: NGO approaches SHC on peacock deaths

NGO maintains budget allocated for conservation and protection of wild life being misappropriated.

KARACHI:

A local NGO on Thursday approached the Sindh High Court to look into the deaths of peacocks in Thar region and the government’s failure to take remedial measures to check the spread of deadly disease among different species of birds.

After hearing the counsel for the NGO, a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Syed Muhammad Farooq Shah, issued notices to government officials for an unspecified date.

The petitioner NGO maintained that the budget allocated for conservation and protection of wild life, including birds and other endangered species, was being misappropriated and despite the spread of deadly disease ‘Rani Khet’ which hits fowl, hens and other birds, no preventive measures were taken to control the disease in Thar and adjoining areas.

The NGO claimed that the number o f peacocks killed due to disease was more than 300 and maintained that the figures given by the Sindh Minister and department concerned were not correct.

It prayed to the court to order the Wild Life Department to divert all possible human force as well as vaccine to be administered to the peacocks to save them from extinction in Thar region. The bench after hearing initial arguments ordered its office to issue notices to the respondents for an unspecified date.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2012.