Food for monkeys at Asola sanctuary: HC seeks Delhi govt reply

The Delhi High Court today sought response from the city government on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against it for allegedly failing to comply with the court's 2007 direction to provide food to monkeys rehabilitated at Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary here.
Justice V K Shali also issued notice to Chief Secretary and Chief Wildlife Warden of the Delhi government seeking their reply on as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated against them.
"Notice issued. Reply be filed before the next date of hearing, February 18," the court said, adding that the counsel should take instruction.
The notice was issued after Sonya Ghosh, claiming to be the member of Enforcement Committee appointed by the High Court in February 2007, alleged that since December 4, the authorities have stopped feeding the monkeys in the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

On March 14, 2007 while disposing of a seven-year-old petition by New Friends Colony Residents, the High Court had ordered setting up of an Enforcement Committee under the Chief Wildlife Warden for speedy and safe removal of monkeys.
The court had said that their food would be collected at specially set up centres from where it would be sent to Bhatti area.

The bench had laid down a three-month time frame for the shifting of all simians from the city to a specially chalked out area near Bhatti mines.
Ghosh in her plea, filed by advocate Mukul Talwar, said that the High Court's March 14, 2007 order "has in totally unambiguous terms made it the principle duty of the Delhi government and Chief Wildlife Warden to ensure the supply of food to the monkeys at the Bhatti mines area".

The counsel said that "Chief Secretary and Chief Wildlife Warden, Delhi government were directly liable, therefore they are guilty of committing wilful disobedience of directions issued by this court".