CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday allowed the Joint Task Force (JTF) time till November 11 to come up with a comprehensive action plan to prevent unnatural elephant deaths in the State. With the PCCF (Wildlife) as convener, the JTF constituted by the State government comprises officers of different ranks from the forest and police departments to investigate the unnatural deaths of elephants.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Chittaranjan Dash also directed the convener to file a report on the progress the JTF had made so far. The court had taken up analogous hearing of several PILs highlighting the serious issue concerning deaths of elephants on account of illegal poaching. The petitions were filed by Gita Rout (2022), Mrinalini Padhi (2015) and Dwija Dalpati (2015) and Balgopal Mishra (2013).
Earlier on August 25, the court had set one month deadline for the JTF to come up with a comprehensive action plan. But when the matter came up on Thursday, the additional government advocate (AGA) DK Mohanty only informed the court that the JTF had held a meeting on the issue on October 19.
Taking note of it, the bench directed the convener of JTF to file an affidavit placing on record the minutes of the October 19 deliberations and specific action points by November 11, the date fixed for next hearing on the matter. The AGA also submitted to the court a communication received on current status of the criminal cases registered in connection with poaching of elephants.
However, the bench was not satisfied as the communication did not give a clear picture. The bench, accordingly, directed the senior most police officer in the JTF (Additional Superintendent of Police Jatin Kumar Panda) to file a separate affidavit giving details on the exact progress made in the criminal cases. The bench also expected all members of the JTF to be present in virtual mode during hearing on the next date. In an affidavit the DGP had earlier informed the court that the JTF will look into cases of poaching of tigers and leopards and illegal trade of pangolin apart from the death of elephants.