Police, transport staff must ensure safety of cattle: Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the chief secretaries of AP and TS to file comprehensive reports explaining the steps being taken to curb cruelty to animals, including installation of CC cameras at animal shandies across both states.

A division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with a PIL by Animal Rescue Organisation, AP Cow Protection Federation and another party, seeking to declare the inaction of the authorities to stop cruelty to animals at weekly cattle markets conducted by the Pithapuram municipality as illegal.

The petitioners alle-ged that cattle were being treated cruelly while loading them into transport vehicles and packing them beyond permissible limits.

When the counsel for the Andhra Pradesh government said that they had appointed a committee to ensure that cruelty towards animals stops, the Bench expressed displeasure and said a mere appointment of committees with more officers would not serve the purpose.

Justice Bhatt said a veterinary doctor had to be present at every animal shandy and the animals could be loaded in trucks only after the doctor certified that they were fit for transpiration.

He said, “After certification of the doctor, it is the responsibility of the police and transport department to see that the animals are transported safely without subjected to cruelty.”

The Bench granted three weeks to both governments to place the comprehensive action plans