Jaipur, March 16 -- Rajasthan high court rapped the state government over reports of the declining camel population despite an act being in effect to prevent their illegal trading. "A division bench of the court presided over by justice Vineet Mathur and justice Pushkar Bhati were hearing a suo moto petition filed by then chief justice of the Rajasthan high court SS Shinde in 2022 taking cognisance of some media reports that the camel population has been decreasing over the years despite the government recognising it as a state animal. Hearing was pending for this case in the last two year," said the Advocate Prateek Kasliwal, the amicus curiae of the case. He also said, "The bench, on Saturday, also criticised the role of the government in promoting the camel. The judges noted that the camel population has been drastically declined despite they implemented an act to prevent its illegal trading and slaughtering in 2015. The court ordered the government to provide a detailed report by March 27 on the status of camel population in the state and steps that has been taken by the governemnt to promote this animal." According to the previous affidavit filed by the state government in 2022 in response to the PIL, the camel population was 421,836 in 2007 in Rajasthan that reduced to 325,713 in 2012, and 212,739 in 2019. This affidavit also stated, "The steep decline in the population of camel, the state government declared camel as 'State Animal' in the year 2014. In order to financially support the persons rearing camel, a scheme namely Ushtra Vikas Yojana was also formulated and implemented from 2016 to 2019." "To further promote the population of camel in the state, the chief minister (Ashok Gehlot) also proposed implementation of a scheme in the budget FY 2022-23 for protection and conservatiwon of camels for which a budget Rs.10 crores was allocated," he added. "The act of 2015 ( Rajasthan Camel Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) is also being effectively implemented," it read. However, a further report by the amicus curiae noted that the impact of the 2015 act had a negative impact on the promotion of the camel population while the government has also neglected various aspects over the years. However, to be sure, the Rajasthan government has recently lifted the ban on the export and inter-state transport of camels on October 11 last year....