Supreme Court dismisses PIL against Reliance's zoological centre at Jamnagar

The Supreme Court of India.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) announced on August 20 that the Supreme Court of India has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the permission granted to Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) being built by Reliance in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, stating there was no logic or basis in the petition.

Petitioner Kanhaiya Kumar had sought a ban on GZRRC acquiring animals from within India and abroad as also a special investigation team to inquire into the operations and management of GZRRC. Transfer of animals to GZRRC from within India and aboard were questioned in the petition. Questions were also raised in the PIL on GZRRC’s experience and capability.

A bench of justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari junked the plea filed by an advocate seeking to ban the acquisition of animals by the centre. The top court said there is hardly any scope to dispute that the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is a recognised zoo as well as a rescue centre.

It said there was no legal infirmity in the grant of recognition to the zoo and the rescue centre by the Central Zoo Authority. The allegations of the petitioner regarding lack of expertise on the part of respondent No 2 or regarding commercialisation remain uncertain and it does not appear that the petitioner has carried out the requisite research before moving this court in PIL jurisdiction.

“We are impelled to observe that the petitioner himself is not an expert in the field and has based the petition merely on news reports which, too, do not appear to have been made by experts. In any case, when the subject field is to be taken care of, and is under supervision of respondent No. 1 (Central Zoo Authority), and there appears no infirmity on its part, invoking of PIL jurisdiction cannot be countenanced,” the bench said.

After GZRRC submitted its detailed response, the Court heard the matter on August 16, 2022, and dismissed the petition rejecting all contentions raised against GZRRC.

The Supreme Court noted that GZRRC has made submissions about its infrastructure, functioning, the vets, curators, biologists, zoologists and other experts engaged by it and that it was carrying out its activities strictly as per the law.

GZRRC clarified before the court that it would be establishing a zoological park, which would be open for public display essentially for educational purposes while the rest of its facilities would operate as rescue centres for the welfare of animals in need of rescue not just from India but all over the world with the objective of welfare of animals, rescue and rehabilitation and conservation.

Reacting to the development, Dhanraj Nathwani, Head of Organisation, GZRRC, said: “We at GZRRC are humbled by the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. We will continue with our work for animal welfare. GZRRC is committed to the welfare, rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of animals as well as to provide world-class rehabilitation care to animals which need to be rescued from difficult conditions.”

(With PTI inputs)

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