Notice to Centre, Uttarakhand Over ‘Virus’ in National Park

Due to the unknown virus, eyes of Himalayan blue sheep are “popping out”, said petitioner, Advocate Gaurav Bansal.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday sent a notice to the Central and Uttarakhand governments, seeking details of an unknown virus or disease reportedly spreading across the Gangotri National Park and infecting the wildlife.

Due to the unknown virus, eyes of the Himalayan blue sheep are "popping out", according to the petitioner, Advocate Gaurav Bansal. The Division Forest Officer of the Gangotri National Park gas also confirmed this.

Shravan Kumar, DFO, Gangotri National Park, Uttarakhand, told IANS:

In September, a case was reported after a one-year-old blue sheep was found infected and later died. The samples were sent to research centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, however the key reason could not be found

Kumar added that several patrolling teams went inside the protected area thereafter but did not come across a similar case or symptom. The park is closed now and will re-open in April 2018.

The Tribunal has issued notices to seven parties including Uttarakhand's Chief Secretary, State Wildlife Board, Principal Secretary, state Forest Ministry, Department of Forest, State bio-diversity Board, National Biodiversity Authority and Union Environment Ministry.

The case will be taken up in the Tribunal in February next year.

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