The Supreme Court on Friday directed the petitioner challenging de-notification of the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Great Nicobar Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands to approach the concerned High Court.
A bench of justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Krishna Murari asked the petitioner to approach the high court with his grievances.
The petitioner thereafter sought to withdraw his petition, which was allowed by the top court with liberty to approach the concerned high court.
The petition was filed by Manish Chandi, a senior researcher, formerly of the Andaman Nicobar Environmental Team (ANET), and has worked in the Nicobar Islands on the interface between the Nicobarese tribal community and sea turtles, along with an environmental journalist and an environmentalist.
The petitioner in his petition filed through advocate Srishti Agnihotri has sought to quash notification dated January 25, 2021, issued by the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Andaman and NicobarAdministration to de-notify the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Nicobar Islands, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The petitioner claimed it as violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
It also sought to quash the decision of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife dated January 5, 2021 de-notifying the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
The petition was filed in the public interest, which said that wildlife sanctuary is among the most important nesting sites for leatherback turtles in the entire world.
( With inputs from ANI )
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