'Baseless': Vantara on water, carbon credits misuse allegations after SIT clean chit

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found that allegations of misuse of water resources and carbon credits against Vantara are “entirely baseless”, the zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre has said in a statement.

An apex court Bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale on Monday accepted the SIT's report, which found no legal violations in Vantara's operations in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

The SIT cleared Vantara, run by Reliance Foundation, of all major allegations, including claims that it was acquiring animals to profit from carbon credits, the statement said.

The court also further clarified that there is no recognised domestic or international framework that awards carbon credits for the rescue, housing, or upkeep of wild animals, it added.

"The SIT's detailed review of the centre's operations and funding confirmed that the allegations of misusing water resources and carbon credits were entirely baseless, lacking any factual or legal foundation, and appeared exaggerated to attract attention," Vantara said.

"Vantara has neither applied for nor received any such credits, and its work is funded entirely through philanthropic means, not linked to any monetised environmental credit mechanism," it added.

The top court on August 25 constituted a four-member SIT headed by a former apex court judge while hearing two PILs alleging irregularities against Vantara on the basis of reports in the media and social media besides complaints from NGOs and wildlife organisations.