The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD may launch drive against illegal dairies soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 20, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

MCD may launch drive against illegal dairies soon

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, FEB 19 . The recent death of two citizens on city roads by stray cattle has failed to move the Government into action and implement the High Court orders for closure of illegal dairies in the Capital. Instead political patronage to this "dairy mafia'' and continued interference in the drive to relocate such illegal units has resulted in the situation virtually going out of control putting the life of citizens at peril.

It is learnt that the successful drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to impound these stray cattle originating from these illegal dairies and thereafter auctioning them in Bapraulla Cattle Pond was hampered by continued political interference at various levels. Only recently, the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi, had sought a "status report'' on the issue. The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, had also been backing the drive to put an end to this menace in the city but some Ministers and MLAs are understood to be backing the agitation of these illegal dairy owners for some strange reason. What is most shocking part of the whole situation is that while there has been no attempt by the Delhi Government to get the order of the High Court modified or petition the court for some relief, verbal orders are being issued not to initiate drive against such illegal dairy owners spread all over the Capital indicating the high stakes involved in the issue. Interestingly, the High Court had ordered the closure of illegal dairies some time back and the case is now scheduled to come up for hearing on February 22.

It is understood the MCD Commissioner has already submitted a status report to the Lieutenant-Governor on the issue, indicating he would re-launch the entire drive once again to comply with the court orders.

"It is imperative that action for closure of unauthorised dairies and the auction of such cattle is carried out uninterrupted to comply with the orders of the court,'' a senior official connected with the drive stated.

Officials said what is most intriguing part of the whole situation is that while the High Court has given one order; the Government is following a different policy. "Only verbal orders are being issued by various senior officials including the Ministers and one Member of Parliament with regard to removal of dairies in the city. They should either come on record or face contempt of court proceedings if they do not comply with the orders,'' another official remarked.

That an illegal nexus exists between political leaders and owners of such illegal dairies is clear from the fact that as soon the drive became successful some months ago, the politicians started pulling strings and got the whole drive stalled without actually doing anything on record. Investigations carried out by various agencies have revealed that most of the unauthorised dairy owners have already made their own arrangements for relocation in the neighbouring States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

However, they still continue with their illegal business in Delhi only due to moral support from various quarters including political and bureaucratic.

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