The SC held that the authorities concerned are defying the Stockholm Declaration of United Nations on Human Environment.
Raps civic authorities for failing to ensure a clean environment to people
NEW DELHI: Expressing its concern for the rights of people who suffer due to the authorities’ slack in curbing the menace of stray animals, the Supreme Court on Friday held that the authorities concerned are not only violating the right to life but are also defying the Stockholm Declaration of United Nations on Human Environment.
“It is the right of the people to have a clean environment. And it is the state’s duty to shed its unbridled sovereign power and work towards maintaining a hygienic environment,” a Bench of Justices S B Sinha and Dalveer Bhandari observed while directing a large number of milkmen, settled in Jodhpur since 1956, to shift outside the Rajasthan tourist area.
In another far reaching direction that might be applicable to other cities across the country, the judges said authorities can’t allot land for building or housing purposes that has been reserved for parks or recreational purposes in the zonal plan.
The Rajasthan Chapter of the Indian Association of Lawyers had moved the Rajasthan HC claiming that the city is being destroyed owing to utter neglect by the civic authorities.
After milching the animals, the owners usually turn them out. The stray cattle, including cows, bulls, dogs, etc freely roam about in the city of Jodhpur. The nuisance the animals create and the stench arising out of their excreta is surely an anathema for everyone.
To mitigate issues, the state government has allotted 2,500 bighas of land to the ousted Jodhpur milkmen to set up their dairies. It has also sanctioned a whopping Rs 50 lakh for catching stray cattle, their transportation and to buy fodder for them.
The SC also upheld a HC directive that all cattles and animals in Jodhpur would bear a tag number which should indicate the name and address of their owners. The owner would be liable for prosecution and would be penalised if his or her animal was found straying.
The Supreme Court has fixed March 31 dead line for the government to comply with the directions.
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