Amidst the continuing Chardham yatra, a well-known pilgrimage comprising 4 websites, the Uttarakhand High Court heard public curiosity litigation (PIL) concerning the mistreatment and overburdening of equines (horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys) on Wednesday, June 8.
The petition was filed by Dehradun-based animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, and it acknowledged that roughly 20,000 equines are used to ferry individuals and provides at numerous pilgrim routes.
It famous that for the reason that preparation for the yatra started this 12 months, studies have acknowledged that 600 equines have succumbed to mistreatment within the final two months on simply the Kedarnath observe, as reported by the Times of India.
‘No Resources Or Veterinary Care’
The plea additionally acknowledged that there isn’t a regulation by way of their working hours or the space that the animals are pushed in a day, with no regard for illness or harm both.
There is “no infrastructure or manpower for veterinary care at any level” alongside all the route. It added that the closest veterinary care facility for equines on the Kedarnath route is within the city of Rudraprayag, which is 25 kilometres away, as reported by India Today.
From the diseased, damaged and exhausted mules and #horses being tortured for pilgrimage in #KedarnathYatra in #Uttarakhand
This message is for our policymakers – @pushkardhami ji, @Saurabh1378 ji and @satpalmaharaj ji
Please act now 🙏https://t.co/8ULFOlrTac— Gauri Maulekhi (@gauri_maulekhi) June 3, 2022
Additionally, “no shed or shelter is offered” anyplace to protect the animals throughout “landslides, hail, snow, or inclement climate.” The petition additionally acknowledged that many equines have died attributable to sheer exhaustion from carrying extra weight than they will, illness, lack of veterinary care, accidents, lack of meals and water, and colic from consuming chilly water accessible at “such excessive altitudes.”
Need For Immediate Action
The petition demanded the creation of required veterinary services, shelters, and controlled motion of animals in restricted numbers in order that they are often higher managed. It additionally claimed that the overcrowding of the delicate environmental areas by pilgrims and devotees has added strain, which is inflicting the demise of animals.
The petition additionally alleged that the useless our bodies of the animals are then thrown into the rivers, contaminating the water our bodies, as reported by The Print.
The plea additionally emphasised that the federal government ought to stop all unregulated use of animals for pilgrimages in Uttarakhand and formulate a coverage to stop animal cruelty. It additionally careworn the necessity for obligatory “disposal of all liquid and stable waste generated” by animals and people on and across the pilgrim routes.
Maulekhi additionally cited that the federal government and the organisers have utterly ignored the mandates and their duties given within the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act, 1960 and its Rules, and that has penalties which end result within the equines’ unavoidable demise and numerous cruelties inflicted on them.
Orders By HC
The bench, headed by appearing Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra, acted on the PIL filed by Gauri Maulekhi. It has requested the Uttarakhand authorities, the animal husbandry division, and the district magistrates of the districts the place the Char Dham shrines are situated to file a reply inside 15 days in regards to the steps to be taken to make sure the protection of the mules and horses within the yatra.
The HC has additionally requested the federal government to manage the capability that the mules and horses can carry and to be sure that there are sufficient meals and water services accessible for them. The subsequent listening to is determined to be on June 22.
Also Read: ‘First Time In History’: Cancer Vanishes From Every Patient During US’s Experimental Drug Trial
Leave a Reply
Recommend
