The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre how long it would take to approve the funding for its pilot project to manage the population of monkeys, nilgais, wild pigs and elephants -- the four focal species in conflict with humans.
To mitigate human and wildlife conflicts, the central government has decided to scientifically manage or control the population of these species by using immune-contraception method, the court was told.
However, one of the scientists working on the project told a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar that the process would take another three to four years due to lack of infrastructure as they were still testing on mice.
S K Gupta, a scientist with the National Institute of Immunology (NII), told the court that he needs funding and a dedicated space to carry on with his research.
The bench, thereafter, told the Centre to inform the court, the status of the financial approval for the project on the next date of hearing on January 16.
The order came while hearing a PIL seeking directions to authorities to take steps to deal with the menace of monkeys and dogs in the national capital.
The court had earlier observed that the development of such a vaccine for 'immuno-contraception', which would use an animal's immune response to prevent pregnancy, was at an initial stage in India.
It had said that the process should be expedited.
The court had also sought to know the possibility of importing a vaccine for sterilisation of monkeys and dogs to control their rising population in Delhi.
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