NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed any further translocation of spotted deer from Hauz Khas Deer Park and suggested that at least 50 deer be retained in the park and the remaining may be sent to green areas under the control of DDA or the Ridge.
Ordering authorities to maintain the status quo, a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan remarked, “Rajasthan jungle has too many leopards. They will not survive there. Retain at least 50 (in the park). At least children can go and see some deer.” The bench, also comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna said, “In the meantime, maintain the status quo. Don’t shift them.”
The park, officially known as A N Jha Deer Park, located in south Delhi’s Hauz Khas area is a popular picnic spot and a hangout zone. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority. Officials said the decision to cancel its license as a zoo was taken because of the rapid growth of population, inbreeding, the possibility of the spread of disease, and the lack of trained manpower to maintain it.
The lawyer representing the petitioner, New Delhi Nature Society, which has challenged CZA’s decision, on Wednesday submitted that the authorities had earlier said the issue of translocation of spotted deer had been referred to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and 80 spotted deer in batches of 40 have been moved to other places so far.
The CZA order issued on June 8 quoted the chief wildlife warden that according to the latest census, the “number of leopards in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary has risen to 18 and there is a need to supplement the prey base”. A forest and wildlife department official had then said they were conducting an assessment at the sanctuary to determine how many deer would have to be shifted there. “We will assess and identify the areas within the sanctuary that will be suitable for the deer and will decide on the numbers to be shifted there,” he had said.
Six deer were introduced in the park in the 1960s and, over time, the number swelled to approximately 600. After the cancellation of its license, the forest departments of Rajasthan and Delhi shall take further action for their translocation, they said.