Bhopal/Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday directed authorities to submit a report explaining the deaths of two more tigers at Kanha National Park in September and October. The court also postponed the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning repeated tiger deaths in the reserve until November 16.
The case was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Alpesh Kogje and Justice Vivek Jain. The PIL was filed by Mumbai-based animal lover Subrat Chakravorty, who claimed that at least 20 tigers had died in Kanha over the previous six months, with canine distemper virus (CDV) suspected to be a contributing factor.
During the hearing, the petitioner argued that CDV could spread through infected dogs and shared drinking water sources. He also stated that the infection could affect a tiger’s natural behaviour, including its aggression and hunting instincts.
After considering the submissions, the bench asked for details about the causes of the two recent tiger deaths and scheduled the next hearing for November 16.
Chakravorty had approached the court after eight tigers reportedly died in Kanha National Park and nearby forest areas during April and May. Through the PIL, he sought judicial intervention to address the recurring deaths and strengthen wildlife protection measures.
In previous hearings, the court was informed that CDV was suspected in connection with the tiger fatalities. Authorities had reportedly launched a drive to quarantine and vaccinate dogs living in forest areas surrounding the reserve. More than 2,000 dogs were said to have received vaccinations under the initiative.
The petitioner also raised concerns about the reserve’s financial resources. He claimed that Kanha’s allocation, which was reportedly Rs 12,000 lakh in 2016, had subsequently declined to around one-fourth of that amount. He further referred to a figure of Rs 3,000 crore allocated to the reserve for the current year.
The court’s request for a report is expected to bring further clarity to the circumstances surrounding the latest tiger deaths and the concerns raised over wildlife conservation at Kanha.
