All HC | ‘Make roads cattle free’; Meerut and Varanasi municipalities directed to remove and rehabilitate stray cattles

Allahabad High Court: The Division Bench of Govind Mathur, CJ and Chandra Dhari Singh, J. gave a series of directions in an order in respect of the PIL concerning ‘uncontrolled movement of stray cattles and dogs’.

The primary issue involved concerns the residents of Meerut and Varanasi facing problems due to the uncontrolled movement of stray cattles and dogs in the municipal limits. It has been stated that due to the scout-free movement of stray cattles and dogs a lot of accidents are happening. The situation is said to be turning worse day by day due to the unauthorized dairies established in different colonies by private persons.

Further, it has been asserted that neither the U.P. Government nor the local bodies have taken any action in the above-regard. Reliance  was placed on the decision of the Supreme Court in Milkmen Colony Vikas Samiti v. State of Rajasthan, 2007 (2) SCC 413, in which it was stated that “stray cattles and dogs are required to be removed from the town areas and even dairies are required to be shifted to some other suitable places.”

High Court on going through the records, laid down a series of directions:

• Municipal Corporations of Varanasi and Meerut shall initiate a campaign for catching the stray cattles and make the entire city cattle free by 5-02-2019, which further shall be transported and rehabilitated outside the city.
• If the cattle caught by municipal corporation is being claimed for its ownership, then the same shall be returned along with a fine and undertaking that the cattle shall be kept outside the municipal limits of the said towns.
• All such illegal dairies operating in the said towns shall be identified and necessary penal proceedings shall take place against the same.
• Steps shall also be taken for the removal of stray dogs and their relocation.
• Complete plan for shifting the dairies outside the municipal area shall be made by the District Magistrates, which would be finalized by the State Government.
• All the cattles being permitted to be in the town areas shall have a tag indicating the name and address of the person to whom the animal belongs along with the details of such animal registered by the corporation.

The petition has been listed for 08-03-2019 and the Municipal Corporations of the above-said towns are required to file a compliance report before the listing date or on the said date. [Mohd. Haji Aslam v. State of U.P., 2019 SCC OnLine All 75, Order dated 04-01-2019]