“The Environment Ministry, suo motu, issued a letter asking states to come forward with proposals (to kill wild animals). There are standard operating processes laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (to kill wild animals damaging human life or crops). Javadekar exercised restraint in responding, only pointing out that the killing of wild animals in certain states was being done in accordance with law and on the request of state governments. In February, it classified wild boars as vermin in Uttarakhand, and a month later, monkeys were declared vermin in Himachal Pradesh. Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi Thursday launched an unexpected attack on her ministerial colleague Prakash Javadekar, accusing the Environment Ministry led by him of carrying out state-mandated killing of a large number of protected wild animals in several parts of the country.

Source: Indian Express June 09, 2016 23:15 UTC