SC blames Chinese demand for poaching of tigers in India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday blamed the huge demand for tiger parts in China as the major reason for the thriving poaching syndicates run by "very wealthy and influential people" in India leading to near extinction of the big cat.

While upholding the conviction of notorious poacher Sansar Chand for two leopard skins seized from one of his accomplices, a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and T S Thakur expressed concern over the largely free run that poachers have had in India and requested the Centre and state governments to tighten their belts.

Asking them to take stringent action against poachers and the illegal trade in wildlife items if they wanted to save the small number of tigers and other big cats in the country, the Bench went on to cite the "food chain" illustration given in school textbooks to drive home the importance of big cats to maintain balance in the ecology.

Justice Katju, writing the judgment for the Bench, noted that areas which decades back were teeming with wildlife had become devoid of it. He said many sanctuaries and national parks were almost empty and Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh had no tigers.

"Poaching of tigers for traditional Chinese medicine industry has been going on in India for several decades... This illegal trade is organised and widespread and is in the hands of ruthless and sophisticated operators, some of whom have top level patronage," the Bench said.

Condemning Sansar Chand and his family for indulging in mindless killing of wild animals, including tigers, for profit and having a trail of cases under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Bench said Chand and his gang had set up a complex, interlinking smuggling network to satisfy the demand for tiger and leopard parts and skins outside India's border, particularly in China.

Accepting Rajasthan standing counsel Manish Singhvi's argument, the Bench dismissed Chand's appeal against conviction and said the accused always remained behind the scene and it was difficult to procure direct evidence against him and the trial court was right in sentencing him on the basis of confessional statement of his accomplice.

Before closing the case, the Bench requested the governments and their agencies "to make all efforts to preserve the wildlife of the country and take stringent action against those who are violating the provisions of the Act as this is necessary for maintaining the ecological balance in our country".