The National Green Tribunal on Thursday asked why the Uttarakhand government had failed to prevent an unidentified disease that has killed Himalayan blue sheep in the state. The tribunal ordered the Wildlife Department to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for failing to file an action plan as mandated, ANI reported.
The panel had issued notices to the state government, the Union Environment Ministry and other respondents in December 2017 after it came to light that Himalayan blue sheep in the Gangotri National Park were suffering from an eye infection. The disease is making the animals go blind and is also killing them.
In his petition, Gaurav Bansal said a team of the Border Security Force – led by Assistant Commandant Loveraj Singh Dharamshaktu – had spotted the infected sheep in Kedar Tal in September 2017 during an expedition. The participants had informed wildlife officials about the disease.
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