Court Rules Parrots a Wildlife Liability, Orders Compensation for Farmers

The Bombay High Court mandates the Maharashtra government to compensate a farmer for pomegranate tree damage by parrots, categorizing them as 'wild animals' under the Wild Life (Protection) Act. This decision addresses the lack of compensation for losses caused by protected species not listed in government resolutions.

The Bombay High Court has ruled that farmers must be compensated for crop damages caused by parrots, which are considered 'wild animals' under the Wild Life (Protection) Act. This comes as Justices Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nivedita Mehta noted that lack of compensation could lead to detrimental measures against wildlife.

The court's decision came after farmer Mahadeo Dekate filed a petition following damage to his pomegranate trees by parrots from a sanctuary. Despite past government resolutions allowing compensation only for damage by elephants and bison, the court ordered the state to pay Rs 200 per damaged tree.

This landmark ruling stresses that legislative acts prevail over government resolutions and compels the government to uphold the Act's mandate to protect all wild animals. The court noted that failing to compensate for parrots' damages undermines constitutional equality and wildlife protection objectives.