The Nilgiris/New Delhi: Empathising with the cruel ways in which wild elephants are being treated in the country, the Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that the animal was a gentleman who is powerful, yet fragile.
The Nilgiris/New Delhi: Empathising with the cruel ways in which wild elephants are being treated in the country, the Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that the animal was a gentleman who is powerful, yet fragile.
Hearing cases related to resorts constructed illegally in elephant corridors in the Nilgiris, the three member bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde noted that those who construct resorts blocking elephant pathways want to kill elephants.
Though the top court was not favouring the petitioners who wanted the ban on constructions to be revoked, it opined that it would appoint a three member panel to probe the issue adding that the panel would be headed by a retired High Court Judge.
The ban was imposed by the apex court in August last year, following a report that was submitted by Nilgiris District Collector, J Innocent Divya about illegal constructions inside the corridor.
The matter which has been in discussion for many years had seen the pendulum swing both in favour of the resort owners and activists. It has now settled in favour of the elephants, with the resort owners arguing that they had obtained necessary permissions.
It all started in 1996, when A. Rangarajan filed a public interest litigation, following two more by Elephant Rajendran and Nilgiris Wildlife Protection, an NGO ten years later.
The cases have been linked and are in the apex court for hearing.
Hearing cases related to resorts constructed illegally in elephant corridors in the Nilgiris, the three member bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde noted that those who construct resorts blocking elephant pathways want to kill elephants.
Though the top court was not favouring the petitioners who wanted the ban on constructions to be revoked, it opined that it would appoint a three member panel to probe the issue adding that the panel would be headed by a retired High Court Judge.
The ban was imposed by the apex court in August last year, following a report that was submitted by Nilgiris District Collector, J Innocent Divya about illegal constructions inside the corridor.
The matter which has been in discussion for many years had seen the pendulum swing both in favour of the resort owners and activists. It has now settled in favour of the elephants, with the resort owners arguing that they had obtained necessary permissions.
It all started in 1996, when A. Rangarajan filed a public interest litigation, following two more by Elephant Rajendran and Nilgiris Wildlife Protection, an NGO ten years later.
The cases have been linked and are in the apex court for hearing.