THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has issued directions to the municipal and panchayat authorities along with the police to get cracking on dealing with the menace of stray cattle and issued a fresh set of directions to the authorities after observing that its directions back in 2007 were being merrily ignored.
Disposing a civil application filed by one Kabir Gama Roy, who approached the court alleging that the directions of 2007 were being ignored, the High Court has now made the Chief Officers of the respective municipalities, the panchayat secretaries personally responsible to ensure that the stray cattle are removed from the street.
“The Chief Officers of municipalities shall be responsible for ensuring that no stray cattle are squatting on public roads. They must ensure that necessary staff is appointed or designated for monitoring/controlling and removing the stray cattle from the public roads. Such a team must regularly patrol the areas within the jurisdiction and take necessary action without waiting for any complaints from the public,” the High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and Bharat Deshpande said in the order also directing that the Commissioner of the Capital of Panaji be included in it.
“The Chief Officer of the municipal councils must not only appoint Pound-keepers but also provide pounds where the stray cattle can be lodged and cared for. The Chief Officers must, within one month from today, indicate their telephone number/s or of some designated staff from their municipalities so that the members of the public or the Police Patrolling/beat vehicles can intimate such staff, the Chief Officers or the staff members about the stray cattle on the roads,” the High Court also said.
“Even if the municipalities enter into MOUs with the NGOs and Goshalas, it would always be the responsibility of the Chief Officers, and he shall be required to ensure that the NGOs and Goshalas also discharge their obligations under the MOUs diligently and faithfully so that the issue of stray cattle is effectively tackled,” the order reads.
“The Director of Municipal Administration and the Director of Panchayats must ensure, within three months from today, that the Police, Municipal Councils, the Corporation of the City of Panaji and some of the Panchayats where the issue of stray cattle is acute, set up to monitor, a dedicated 24 X 7 helpline to receive calls and complaints about the stray cattle on roads,” the High Court said adding that the authorities also need to deploy a central, official WhatsApp account linked telephone, via which concerned citizens may intimate or send photographs of squatting stray cattle along with their location.
“The same shall, as soon as practicable be forwarded to the relevant authority within whose jurisdiction the cattle are found. If such intimation discloses a specific infraction, it shall be recorded as a complaint and processed accordingly. The concerned authorities must maintain a record of such complaints and the status thereof,” the High Court said.
Turning to the Police, the High Court directed that they must keep a vigil for stray cattle on public roads especially during their regular patrolling, especially during the night.
“The Police must, at least telephonically inform the designated staff members or the Chief Officers and the panchayats so that immediate action is taken. The Police must also verify whether action is taken on their intimation and make necessary reports to authorities in case of failure,” the High Court said.
“The Police must, henceforth, identify cattle owners whose cattle stray on public roads. Action must be taken against such owners who let loose their cattle on public roads under The Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme 2013 (Amended) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Prosecution should also be launched against such cattle owners under the Indian Penal Code,” the High Court said.
The High Court said that the removal and transport of cattle from public area must be done safely.
