Laikhuram Singh had declared eight Lar Gibbons in 2020 below the unique dwell species inventory declaration by means of Parivesh 1, recording their origin as Malaysia.
Crucially, the doc says the proposal was pending earlier than the Chief Wildlife Warden, which implies he didn’t have possession and switch certificates.
The next Erode to Chennai switch can be recorded as a purchase order. A Type I dated August 5 names C Okay Ranganathan of Injambakkam because the transferee.
After the controversy surrounding actor Vikram’s video, Ranganathan quietly moved the surviving gibbons again to Erode, elevating an extra query on what foundation the animals had been allowed to be transported out of Chennai when their documentation and chain of authorized possession had been themselves below query.
Below Part 49M of the Wild Life (Safety) Act, 1972, each switch of a Schedule IV residing animal should be reported and registered, and no particular person can possess, switch or breed such an animal besides in conformity with the Act and the prescribed guidelines. The regulation additionally particularly requires deaths to be reported.
The 2024 Guidelines require a switch to be reported inside 15 days, whereas the prescribed Type I particularly asks for the transferor’s registration certificates and particulars of the transferee. There’s, subsequently, a bigger enforcement query past the superstar video.
Wildlife conservationists are questioning why the Chennai wildlife authorities didn’t seize the gibbons from the Injambakkam residence and why the case has not been booked thus far.
Erode officers stated they’re ready for directions from the headquarters earlier than they go forward and seize the animals or help the Chennai staff in taking motion.
