Express Impact: Hyderabad HC admits PIL on plastic threat to zoo

The bench directed authorities concerned to inform it about incidents that took place in the zoo where animals died due to consumption of plastic and other degradable material.

HYDERABAD: A division bench of the High Court on Tuesday admitted a PIL which was taken up suo motu based on a news item with photograph published in The New Indian Express on July 25 this year, wherein a baboon chewing a plastic carry-bag was seen at the Nehru Zoological Park in the city despite there being a ban on usage of plastic bags in Hyderabad.

The bench directed authorities concerned to inform it about incidents that took place in the zoo where  animals died due to consumption of plastic and other degradable material.

While issuing notices to secretary in the Union ministry of Forest and Environment, curator of Nehru Zoological Park, state chief secretary, principal secretary to municipal administration and urban development, chief conservator of forest, member-secretary of Telangana State Pollution Control Board and GHMC commissioner, it directed them to explain about the lawful steps taken to implement the ban on plastic and other material which are not degradable. The bench impleaded the chief wild life warden of the state in the case.