SC dismisses plea against Reliance Zoological Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat

The Supreme Court on Saturday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation which challenged permission granted to Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation, under Reliance Industries, to develop a zoo in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed the Public Interest Litigation(PIL) challenging the permission granted to Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to import endangered, vulnerable, and threatened animals from abroad and domestically to establish a zoo in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

"We are unable to find any legal infirmity in grant of recognition to the zoo and the Rescue centre of the respondent No.2(Reliance zoo) by the Respondent No.1(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," ordered the bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari.

The court observed that the petitioner is not an expert in the field and has based his plea merely on news reports. It said that it is "satisfied" with the permission granted and the acitivities of the zoo "cannot be said to be illegal or unauthorized".

The PIL was filed by advocate Kanhaiya Kumar who had contended before the court that Reliance's zoo is a private zoo and is not permitted to receive animals and it is planning to have the largest number of species in order to attract visitors and make business. He had argued that in the garb of making a rescue centre, Reliance's zoo and rescue centre is seeking to carry out commercial activities.