Animal skin, fur worth Rs 10 crore surrendered in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 28 (UNI) In compliance with the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directions, as many as 224 fur traders surrendered their stock and animal skins of 30 different species worth crores of rupees before the authorities here today.

Chief Wildlife Biologist and Veterinarian Dr Mir Masroor told UNI that the 224 traders surrendered their fur stocks and animal skins of 30 different species, including tiger, leopard, ostrich, black and brown bear, before the officials here today.

He said the total value of the stocks was estimated to be around Rs 9.42 crore.

Dr Masroor said the state government had started the inventory process in 1997, but could not move further due to non-availability of funds and also the wildlife protection act needed to be amended.

The act was amended in 2002 to give the necessary impetus to the process, he added.

Dr Masroor said the fur traders surrendered their stocks so that they were compensated as per the High Court orders of May 18.

UNI