Poor Deer!!!!!

The fate of 70-odd spotted deers in captivity since last four decades at Powai garden hangs in balance. Lack of coordination between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and state forest department officials regarding relocation of the animals has only added to miseries of the animals.
Despite repeated assurances to shift the deers out of the garden, the authorities have failed to do so. “Shifting spotted deers is a tricky business as it is very difficult to tranquilise them. There is very risk of mortality while transporting tranquilised deers over a long distance,” said a senior forest official.
The forest department officials have now decided to shift the deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary that is over 70 km from Powai garden. “Shifting of the spotted deers from Powai garden to Sanjay Gandhi National Park can not be allowed as the SGNP is very unique forest and I am not ready to take any risk about it,” said B Majumdar, PCCF (Wildlife). The animals at Powai garden are not totally fit to be released in SGNP. They might contract diseases among animals there, he said.
Surprisingly, the forest department officials booked an offence against BMC officials in 2006 for illegal detention of wildlife and confiscated 120 kg of shed antlers from the garden. But no further action has been taken in the matter till date. “Ideally, all the deers should have been relocated immediately after the action. It is a serious violation of Wildlife Protection Act,” said Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust (CAT).
The BMC has started ambitious Rs 40 Cr renovation project at the garden. Environmentalists feel that due to the renovation project animals will land in serious trouble. “The spotted deers at the garden are in dire state and the situation turns really serious during monsoon every year. They are at the God’s mercy every year as whenever Powai lake overflows, the deers are worst hit,” said Elsie Gabriel, founder president of Young Environmentalist Programme Trust, a Powai based NGO.
“The municipal corporation will pay Rs 9.5 lakh to the forest department for relocation of the animals to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The process of relocation will being once the payment is made and necessary arrangements are made at the sanctuary, that is likely to take three months,” said Madhukar Kamble, chief hydraulic engineer, BMC.
Environmentalists have strongly opposed the decision to relocate the deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. “We strongly object relocation of the deers at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Given the distance of the sanctuary from Powai garden, it is not a viable idea,” said Sunish Subramanian of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai. PAWS had repeatedly raised objection over illegal detention of spotted deers at the garden. “The deers should be first placed under rehabilitation and gradually released in forest,” he said. “Shifting spotted deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary will only increase the risk of poaching as the deers in Powai garden are used to human proximity,” said Krishna Tiwari of BNHS.