Andhra Pradesh High Court: Public Interest Litigation was filed highlighting the rampant cruelty being perpetrated on animals in gross violation of the Government Order dated 01-10-2015 (‘GO’), issued pursuant to the directions issued in Animal Rescue Organisation v. State of A.P. PIL No. 206 of 2015. The Division Bench of Dhiraj Singh Thakur, CJ., and R Raghunandan Rao, J., opined that the photographs annexed by the petitioners in the present petition reflected a very sorry state of affairs. It reflected that number of dead animals in the cattle marketing area were being handled by cranes and other heavy machinery. Thus, the Court directed the Collector of Kakinada District and Collector of East Godavari District to file a detailed affidavit along with the comprehensive reports regarding the manner in which the GO had been implemented and to reflect the steps which would be taken by the SLMCs to give effect to the spirit of the GO.
As per the order dated 31-08-2015, the Court after noticing the fact that the animals were being treated cruelly during their illegal transportation or after they had been brought into the cattle market areas issued the directions to the Government to frame a policy in that regard, which led to the issuance of GO.
According to the GO, various guidelines were prescribed which inter alia envisages the Shandy Level Monitoring Committee (‘SLMC’) to ensure that there is provision for ramps, CC cameras, proper arrangements for feeding, drinking water and a shed for animals. The guidelines also prescribed that there should be a GPS installed in the transport vehicles which should also contain partitions in the vehicle as per specification. Further, the guidelines also envisaged that the SLMC should submit monthly reports to the Chairman of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and to the State Animal Welfare Board. Petitioner submitted that an RTI application was filed with the Animal Husbandry Department to know as to whether the reports required to be filed as per the GO, were being filed or not. However, in response to the said RTI query, the petitioners were informed that no such information was being filed.
The Court opined that the photographs annexed by the petitioners reflected a very sorry state of affairs. It reflected that number of dead animals in the cattle marketing area were being handled by cranes and other heavy machinery. Some of the photographs also reflected dilapidated state of the fodder area and also, the water troughs which contained no water. Even the covered sheds seemed to be totally inadequate considering the large number of animals that were seen to be accommodated in the cattle market area.
Thus, the Court directed the Collector of Kakinada District and Collector of East Godavari District to file a detailed affidavit along with the comprehensive reports regarding the manner in which the GO had been implemented and to reflect the steps which would be taken by the SLMCs to give effect to the spirit of the GO.
The matter would next be listed on 19-06-2024.
[Animal Rescue Organization v. State of A.P., 2024 SCC OnLine AP 1095, Order dated 24-04-2024]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioners: K S Murthy, Senior Counsel assisted with Ponnada Sree Vyas, Advocate;
For the Respondents: GP for General Administration, GP for Municipal Admn Urban Dev, GP for Panchayat Raj Rural Dev, AGP for Animal Husbandry, GP for Irrigation Comm Area Dev, GP for Home, GP for Agriculture, GP for Revenue, GP for Transport, Jupudi V K Yagna Dutt, M. Santhosh Reddy, N. Srihari, Advocates.
