New Delhi: Delhi High Court has asked Delhi govt to take a decision on setting up a gaushala at Ghogha Dairy, where it has ordered relocation of all dairies operating in other parts of the city.
Last month, a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora sought a report from Delhi govt on the proposed gaushala at Ghogha Dairy, along with a status update on the expected date of operationalisation of another gaushala that closed in 2018. Acharya Sushil Gaushala was allocated to Irrigation and Flood Control Department in 2018 for construction with a budget of Rs 46 crore.
The court sought a timeline after the govt’s animal husbandry department (AHD) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) submitted that steps were being taken to set up a gaushala. “In view of the aforesaid submissions of the counsel for statutory authorities, AHD and chief secretary are directed to make a decision with respect to setting up a gaushala at Ghogha Dairy,” the court directed while seeking a report.
The husbandry department also informed the court that steps for making necessary arrangements in Gaushalas for keeping the animals shifted from Bhalaswa Dairy Colony and Ghazipur Dairy Colony were being taken, even as currently there was space available for accommodating approximately 2,000 cows and their progeny in Manav Gausadan, Rewla Khanpur, south west district.
The court then further directed the court-appointed local commissioner to visit a gaushala in Manav Gausadan on or before Nov 7 and submit the report with respect to its readiness to keep the cattle seized by MCD and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).
Meanwhile, MCD submitted that since there is land available at Ghogha Dairy, if a proposal is received from Delhi govt for setting up a gaushala in the Dairy, the civic body will expeditiously consider it as infrastructure relevant to the dairy business is being set up in the Ghogha Dairy colony. The MCD counsel also submitted that in the ordinary course, MCD or DUSIB seize stray cattle and hand them over to AHD for their keeping at the gaushalas. If the seized cattle are claimed by the owner within 15 days, they are returned upon payment of a penalty, but if there is no claimant, the cattle are auctioned to farmers of neighbouring states. The court had earlier expressed its concern over the “life” of those dairy owners and their livestock who are residing near landfill sites in the city and said authorities must take steps to relocate them. It is monitoring the relocation of the same to Ghogha.
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