Congress general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh on Friday accused the Gujarat Government of disrespecting the Supreme Court order and demanded the translocation of "surplus" lions from the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh.
Singh, told The Pioneer , "Gujarat has been denying to translocate lions from Gir MP despite apex court order and MP having made all arrangements in Kunu National Park."
Singh further said, “Now Gujarat has surplus lions it should allow lions to be translocated to MP and there should be no ego issue as both States are ruled by the BJP."
In 2013, the SC had ordered the translocation of Asiatic lions from Gujarat to MP, stating that since the species is facing extinction, it needs a "second home".
However, the MP and Gujarat Governments are reportedly engaged in a legal battle over the same. The Rajkot-based NGO Wildlife Conservation Trust has also challenged the order.
A census carried out this month has fixed the lion population in Gir, Gujarat at 523.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey secretary of NGO Prayatna which has long been fighting for the translocation of the lions said, “The Asiatic lions are found only in Gujarat after the African continent. The Wild life Institute of India planed in 1993 to shift some of these lions from Gujarat to MP’s Kuno Palpur as second home due to security reasons. Over `400 cr have been spent till now on this project. The SC, after 15 long years of legal battle decided in favor of MP Government in the year 2013 and asked Gujarat to shift some lions within six months. But due to the contempt of court and stubborn attitude of the Gujarat Government and MP Government’s surrender before PM Modi this order could not be implemented.”