Friday, April 8 2005 18:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Concerned with rampant poaching and diminishing tiger population and other animals in the national parks and sanctuaries across the country, the Supreme Court today (Apr 8, 2005) issued notices to the Centre and State Governments on the issue of constituting expert body to supervise the functioning of such parks and sanctuaries.

A Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S H Kapadia sought replies from the Centre and various State Governments on an application seeking constitution of a body consisting of persons recommended by the National Wild Life Authority to oversee and supervise the functioning of the national parks and sanctuaries.

The interim application filed by senior advocate Harish Salve, amicus curaie in an environment-related matter, gave the list of 25 such parks and sanctuaries.

He said by constituting such body, it would enable the authority to co-ordinate the deployment of staff to check the menace of poaching in national parks and sanctuaries.

Senior advocate also brought to the notice of the court the reported arrest of three persons yesterday for possessing leopard skins worth lakhs of Rupees in the capital. It was claimed that these were recently skinned.