HC terms Parrot a wild animal

Nagpur, 27 April (HS): In an important decision by the Nagpur Bench

of Bombay High Court, a farmer in Hingni village of Wardha district was made

eligible to get compensation of damage caused to his orchard by parrots. The

court called parrot as wild animal and allowed Mahadev Dekate eligible for

compensation caused to his pomegranate orchard.

Dekate suffered huge loss as a flock of parrots damaged

200 pomegranate plants in his orchard. The court in its verdict allowed

compensation of Rs 40,000 at the rate of Rs 200 per plant.

The government through its counsel argued that as

per rules only damage caused by wild animals like elephant and bison etc are

included for compensation. The court stated that this is against Article 14 of

the Constitution.

The Court in its order mentioned that as per the

Wildlife Protection Act 1972, various birds and animals are protected as natural

wealth. Compensation to the crop caused

by these animals and birds must be paid. The officers from Agriculture

Department have confirmed that 50 per cent of fruits grown in Dekate’s orchard

were damaged.

Dekate had filed the petition in 2016, which was

disposed of ten years later.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar