The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to come up with a joint action plan with the Centre for preservation and conservation of sarus crane, the world's tallest flying bird, in Gondia, Bhandara and Chandrapur districts of the state.

The HC gave the direction after taking suo motu cognisance of the matter. A division bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and Anil Pansare on Wednesday directed the government to carry out a detailed survey of sarus crane birds in these three districts and submit a report to the court within two months. The bench ordered that a district-level committee be set up in Gondia, Bhandara and Chandrapur—Sarus Conservation Committee—to redress issues arising out of preservation and conservation of these birds.