NGO seeks trial of IAF officers for keeping wild mammals

Kurukshetra, May 31 (UNI) The Peoples For Animals (PFA), a Haryana-based NGO, has appealed to the state government to approach the centre to accord permission for a trial of two Air Force officers under the Wild Life Protection Act.

The duo, Wing Commander R S Chandavar and W C Kolankar, based at the Sirsa Air Force station, have been named in a petition by the PFA in the Special Environment Court here which came up for recording the petitioner's statement today.

The petition, filed in the environment court on April 4, has stated that a black buck and a chinkara along with some other animals were kept in a makeshift ''illegal zoo'' at the Air Force Station in Sirsa.

According to PFA chairman Naresh Kadian, he and the state's Wild Life Inspector Rajiner Dangi had found the animals there.

According to PFA chair man Naresh Kadian, after jinding the animals there a complaint lodged at the Sirsa city police station against these two AF officers but no action was taken.

Later, a notice was served on the Wild Life Warden of Haryana on this issue under section 55 of the Act on October 31, 2005 but this also proned futile.

brought no fruitful results.

Consequently, a case was filed in the SE Court, Kurukshetra on April four, 2006. The court admitted the case and fixed the date of recording of statement for today.

After recording the statement, the court asked the petitioner to seek permission of the Union government to sue the IAF officers and that the court on its own could try the Defence personnel sans such a permission.

Mr Kadian said it was not possible for an NGO to approach the Union government to accord permission in such a case and, hence, the Haryana government must come to the rescue of the NGO and seek Centre's permission for teh trial of the IAF officers in teh environment court.

Two of the witnesses recorded their statements along with Mr Kadian today in the court, which has now fixed October 20, 2006 as the next date of hearing.

UNI XC PS SB KP2002