The Hindu : Front Page : Court orders cash for catching stray cattle

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Friday, Aug 05, 2005

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Court orders cash for catching stray cattle

Nirnimesh Kumar

NEW DELHI: Coming up with a novel way to free the Capital's roads of stray cattle, the Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to involve citizens in the effort and reward them Rs.2,000 per head of cattle caught.

A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice B. C. Patel and Justice S. K. Kaul said the reward money would be mobilised by auctioning the cattle later.

Directing the MCD Veterinary Officer, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, and two Veterinary Inspectors of MCD's South Zone to carry out an intensive campaign in their area to rid it of the menace of stray cattle within a fortnight, the Bench said that if they failed to finish the task within the deadline they would be held accountable.

The Bench directed the Corporation to advertise in newspapers the mobile numbers of these officials as well as two dedicated landline phones to facilitate people intimating it about the capture of stray cattle.

Initially the scheme would cover South Delhi. Later it would be implemented in all of the Capital's 12 zones, the Bench ruled.

Expressing strong displeasure over MCD not having been able to free the Capital of stray cattle despite repeated orders, the High Court had on Wednesday summoned in person the Deputy Commissioner of South Zone to explain the non-implementation of court orders in his area.

The Bench had directed the Deputy Commissioner to appear before the Court and show cause why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him for not freeing his zone of stray cattle.

The Bench said that counsel for the Corporation had earlier submitted before the Court that South Delhi had almost been rendered free of stay cattle but he had seen stray cattle walking on the road facing Lady Shri Ram College and in Greater Kailash-II last week.

The Bench has been hearing public interest litigation by Common Cause of the late H. D. Shourie seeking directions to the Delhi Government, MCD and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to free the Capital of stray cattle.

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