The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay an order allowing culling of nilgai in Bihar, monkeys in Himachal Pradesh and wild boars in Uttarakhand. The apex court was hearing a petition filed last week filed that asking for the Central government’s notifications regarding the three species be quashed. The Environment Ministry had issued three orders, upon the request of state governments, classifying the animals as vermin because the states said the animals reportedly caused harm to crops and posed a threat to humans.

The apex court asked petitioners to send their objections to the Centre and respective state governments, and will hear the matter on July 15. Last week, Union minister Maneka Gandhi condemned the Centre’s notifications on the issue, as well as the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar.