21. Nov 2005
Court enforces shatoosh ban in J&K
(WTI) The Supreme Court of India has ordered the state of Jammu and Kashmir to enforce the ban on the manufacture and trade of shatoosh shawls that had been taking place despite the Tibetan antelope being protected by state, national and international law. Evidence before the court confirmed that the production of shatoosh shawls was ongoing in Srinagar, the capital of J&K, and that the shawls were readily offered for sale to tourists. The raw material for shatoosh, Tibetan antelope wool from the TAR, was mostly smuggled through Nepal, the court heard, and this in itself was also a CITES violation and a violation of India's import policy. Significantly, during the hearing, the court heard that shatoosh production resulted in the death of the antelope, dispelling the myth that it could be collected from rocks and bushes etc. The court ordered the state of J&K to report on what action it will take within four weeks, and would continue to monitor enforcement.