Relocation of dairy colony: Delhi HC directs police to provide protection to animal activist

New Delhi [India], August 26 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has instructed the Delhi Police to assign a beat officer to the residence of animal rights activist Sunayana Sibal. This decision follows Sibal’s petition that led to the court ordering the relocation of dairies from Bhalswa to Ghogha.

On August 23, the Delhi High Court bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to conduct a threat perception analysis for animal rights activist Sunayana Sibal by August 27.

This follows Sibal’s report of an attempted threat by two unidentified individuals from Madanpur Khadar, who visited her home when she was not present.

The court expressed serious concern about the threats and instructed the local SHO to ensure Sibal’s safety and address the threat perception. The bench also warned that any threats against Sibal would not be tolerated.

Recently Delhi High Court has directed all statutory authorities including MCD, DUSIB, GNCTD and MoHUA to the extent their sanctions are required to take immediate steps for shifting all the dairies from Bhalaswa to Ghogha Dairy Colony.

Delhi High further said that the dairy plots allottees in all these colonies have illegally converted the use of these dairy plots into commercial and residential uses. The said change in land use is without any sanction of law. The construction of the superstructure on these dairy plots is also without any sanction of law.

While passing direction, the Delhi High Court stated that, given the inability of the statutory authorities including MCD and GNCTD to take action to stop the milch cattle from feeding on garbage from the sanitary landfills near Bhalaswa and Ghazipur, having considered the submissions of the counsel and having perused the correspondence of MoHUA, we find merit in the submission that since the estimate of land required for shifting of Bhalaswa Dairy Colony is 30 acres and admittedly, unutilised land to the extent of 83 acres is available in Ghogha Dairy Colony.

The bench in an order passed on July 19, 2024, stated that the officers of MCD, DUSIB and GNCTD, whose names have been noted in this order shall be personally responsible for compliance with the directions issued in this order and shall file action taken reports.

Earlier the Court had issued several directions in regards to maintaining hygiene in dairy colonies to ensure medical care of cattle kept therein and for use of spurious oxytocin and directed the Chief Secretary of Delhi to file a detailed affidavit indicating the road map for the future of the nine dairy colonies.

Court earlier, also issued several directions stating, “Veterinary Hospitals be made functional forthwith near all designated dairies and Bio-gas plants be installed near all the nine authorised dairies in Delhi for creation of dry manure and biogas fuel/ Compressed Biogas (CBG) production at the earliest, preferably before the onset of monsoon”.

“FSSAI/ Department of Food Safety, GNCTD to ramp up testing and to conduct random sample checking of milk for the presence of chemicals in dairy units in all the nine designated dairies as also of the milk products such as sweets from the areas where milk is supplied and to take appropriate action as per law in case of any violation”, said the bench.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had viewed that there is an urgent need to rehabilitate and relocate the Ghazipur Dairy and Bhalaswa Dairy forthwith as they are located next to the Sanitary Landfill Sites (‘SLFS’). Court said the dairies should be relocated to areas where there is proper sewage, drainage, biogas plant, ample open space for the cattle to move around and enough grazing area.

Earlier Delhi High Court appointed the Court Commissioner for the inspection of designated Dairy colonies of Delhi, where approximately one lakh buffaloes and cows are used for commercial milk production.

Later, Court court-appointed Commissioner informed the court that Oxytocin is administered to the cattle in a bid to force milk let-down and to increase the production of milk. Since administering Oxytocin amounts to animal cruelty and is a cognizable offence under Section 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, consequently.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation moved by the 3 Petitioners – Sunayana Sibal, Dr. Asher Jessudoss and Akshita Kukreja are alumni of the Ahimsa Fellowship. They are represented by Senior Advocate, Vivek Sibal.

Petitioners highlighted alleged violations include gruesome animal cruelty such as tethering with extremely short ropes, intense overcrowding, animals made to lie on their excreta, unattended and festering injuries and diseases, starving of male calves, mutilation of animals, etc.

The Petition also points towards heaps of rotting carcasses and excreta at several spots in the colonies and carcasses of calves dumped on public streets, leading to fly infestation and mosquito breeding. The non-therapeutic administration of antibiotics and the administration of injections of a spurious drug suspected to be Oxytocin was also highlighted. Oxytocin is a hormone used to induce labour pain in women and causes painful contractions in the buffaloes to increase milk letdown.

The Petitioners stated that maimed, mutilated as well as injured animals can be seen in unfathomable numbers. The gross environmental pollution and grave public nuisance due to poor waste disposal practices and endangerment of public health as a result of flouting several food safety norms are also highlighted. (ANI)