Sikkim seeks to repeal state’s Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2018

The Sikkim State Forest Department has decided to repeal the Wildlife (Protection) Act 2018 as it contradicts the central law on the protection of wildlife. The State Forest and Environment

The Sikkim State Forest Department has decided to repeal the Wildlife (Protection) Act 2018 as it contradicts the central law on the protection of wildlife.

The State Forest and Environment Minister Karma Loday Bhutia informed the house that the State Cabinet has already consented to the withdrawal of the Wildlife (Protection) (Amendment) Act, stating that the very purpose of the Act is already inserted in Central Act empowering the Wildlife Warden to act on his discretion as the case may be.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, gave a free hand to villagers to protect their agricultural crops and livestock from wild animals. The legislation had further empowered the villagers to drive away ‘any wild animal’ which enters any part of the land or building of a person ‘with the objective of destroying agricultural produce or of killing the domestic cattle’.

As per the 2018 amendment bill, the public can chase away the wild animal by use of stick, weapons (other than firearms) or by pelting of stones and if as a consequence of such chasing, the concerned wild animal is injured or killed, such incident of injury or death should be treated as an accident and no penal liability will accrue and the body or carcass of the wild animal shall be the property of the government.

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