Unsatisfactory condition of Gowshala at Nagrota
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 26: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation filed by an NGO SAVE (Save Animals Value Environment) seeking effective implementation of animal welfare laws in J&K UT, a Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Rajesh Sekhri today expressed deep anguish over the major deficiencies pointed out after spot visit of Gowshala at Seri Khurd, Nagrota by Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation along with Joint Commissioner (H&S), JMC, Animal Welfare Officer and Incharge Cattle Pound (Veterinary Assistant Surgeon) JMC.
Moreover, the Division Bench, in the open court, observed, “in case the deficiencies pointed out are not rectified before the next date of hearing by the outsourcing agency—-Gowraksha Samiti headed by Raj Kumar then this court shall be compelled to terminate the contract of the NGO in the interest of voiceless cattle”.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate S S Ahmed with Advocates Supriya Chouhan, M Zulkarnain Chowdhary and Sayed Majid Shah appearing for petitioner submitted that pursuant to order dated 20-11-2024 passed by the Division Bench, the Commissioner JMC Dr Devansh Yadav alongwith a team of officers inspected the Cattle Pound on 04-12-2024 and to ascertain the factual position with respect to the discrepancies noticed by the Court Commissioner and the short comings noted by the Incharge Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Cattle Pound time to time.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that Commissioner JMC in his status report based upon the inspection of the Cattle Pound observed that the outsourced agency has miserably failed to ensure the segregation of the animals. The boards/flexes displaying the categories of the animals inside the sheds were not found in some sheds. The report further pointed out that the cattle were not provided balanced ration.
“The status report further says that Commissioner JMC issued slew of directions to the outsource agency as well as to the Incharge Cattle Pound Nagrota”, Advocate. Ahmed further submitted, adding “the outsource agency was selected by JMC without any tendering and is not fit to maintain the Gowshala properly and vociferously argued that the Gowshala should be entrusted to a best NGO after competitive bidding”.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed and also going through the status report filed by the Commissioner JMC, DB expressed its displeasure and orally directed in the open court that it will terminate the contract of outsourced agency in case before the next date of hearing the deficiencies are not removed.
At this stage, Advocate Muneesh Sharma caused appearance on behalf of outsourced agency and assured the Division Bench that the deficiencies pointed out by the Commissioner JMC after spot inspection would be removed within ten days and the response will also be filed to the report of the Commissioner JMC.
Accordingly, DB granted week’s time to Advocate Muneesh Sharma to come up with latest action taken report as well as response to the report of Commissioner JMC. “In the event of failure to do the needful, incharge of the outsourced agency shall appear in person on the next date of hearing”, the DB added.
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