Order of the Supreme Court regarding introduction of African Cheetah into India, 28/01/2020
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Centre for Environment Law, WWF & Others Vs Union of India & Others dated 28/01/2020. This is an application filed by the applicant - National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for permission to re-introduce Cheetahs from Africa to suitable sites in India.
The apex court objected to the word ‘re-introduce’ as the African Cheetahs never inhabited in India. "Therefore, if an attempt is made to relocate the African Cheetah within the territory of India, it will amount to an ‘introduction’ of the African Cheetah and not a re-introduction" read the order.
The SC said that the action of introducing the African Cheetahs into India should not be left at the hands of the NTCA alone and that it should be guided and directed by a Committee of Experts in the field who would carry out the survey for the best location for introducing the African Cheetahs in India and take a careful decision about the viability of introducing this animal on a larger scale. The expert committee would also supervise the entire process, guide NTCA and submit a report to the SC every four months.