Chhattisgarh High Court Directs State To Strictly Enforce Animal Welfare Laws, Periodically Sensitize Officers & Public To Prevent Cruelty

The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the State Government, particularly the Forest Department, to ensure strict enforcement of laws on animal welfare across the State and to periodically sensitise officers and public on prevention of cruelty towards wildlife.The direction came in response to a suo-motu public interest litigation registered by the Court in April, based on an India Today news-report which claimed that villagers had allegedly tortured a bear to death in Sukma District.A division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru stated,“… we direct the State Government, particularly the Forest Department, to continue its vigilant efforts to prevent cruelty to wildlife. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests shall ensure strict enforcement of the guidelines/policies/laws/rules and shall periodically sensitize officers and the public regarding animal welfare. Any future incident of similar nature shall be viewed seriously. If any future incident of similar nature is brought to the Court's notice, the matter may be reopened or revived for appropriate directions.”The order notes that as per the news report a video of the alleged incident had gone viral on social media. The said video allegedly showed the bear tied to a wooden plank with a steel wire while a person standing beside the bear were seen pulling its ear with full force.The report stated that as per the video another person could be seen hitting the bear hard on its head with his hands, while persons were seen plucking the nails of the bear because of which the bear had to suffer immense pain. The high court had earlier directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden, Government of Chhattisgarh, to file his personal affidavit on the aforesaid news report and the video footage which had gone viralIn pursuance of the order dated 15.04.2025, a detailed affidavit was filed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden which showed that adequate measures were taken by the respondent authorities so as to prevent any recurrence of animal torture.Thereafter, the matter was listed on 14.07.2025 and 09.09.2025 wherein the State counsel had informed that no such incident has been reported.During the hearing on October 29 the Advocate General submitted that till date, no such activity of animal cruelty has been reported and the authorities of the State, especially of the Forest Department are keeping a watch over the wildlife of the State so as to prevent any such untoward incident of animal abuse.In view of the submissions made and the measures taken by the State authorities, the high court disposed of the suo moto petition. Case Title: In The Matter Of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation, Regarding Nails Plucked, Mouth Broken, Villagers Torture Bear To Death In Chhattisgarh v. State of ChhattisgarhWPPIL No. 45 of 2025Click Here To Read/Download Order

Chhattisgarh High Court Directs State To Strictly Enforce Animal Welfare Laws, Periodically Sensitize Officers & Public To Prevent Cruelty

Saahas Arora

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