HC asks MCD to file status report on burial of cattle in Delhi

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the MCD to provide a status report on a plea for the formation of a team of veterinarians in each zone to handle cases of lumpy skin disease in cattle and to establish isolation wards for the care of the diseased animals.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Yashwant Varma granted two weeks' time to the MCD to place on record the status report on burial of cattle in the national capital.

The court was informed during the hearing that the municipal body is in charge of disposing of animals and that it has a designated livestock burial ground in Gazipur.

Advocate Ajay Digpaul, appearing for the MCD, sought time to file on record a report on burial of cattle.

The court then listed the matter for further hearing on May 17.

The Delhi government and the MCD were issued notice and asked to respond to the high court on the plea that also asked for a directive to be given to the authorities to make immunisation available for cows with lumpy skin disease. The petitioner Ajay Gautam demanded that priority be given to immunising stray cattle.

The petitioner said that the contagious viral disease, which has killed about 70,000 cattle in the nation to far and is on the rise, must be eradicated immediately and that corrective measures are also required.

"Direct respondents to immediately constitute a team of veterinary doctors in every zone of Delhi and direct this team to deal and address cases of lumpy disease," the plea said.

Lumpy skin disease, which causes fever and skin nodules, decreases milk supply, loss of appetite, watery eyes in cattle and can be fatal, is spread by mosquitoes, flies, lice, and wasps through direct touch as well as through contaminated food and water.

"This disease has knocked the doors of Delhi too and has started affecting cows here. These infected cows strictly need medical treatment at the earliest," according to the petition.

Despite the fact that there are between 20,000 and 25,000 stray cows in the nation's capital, only one isolation shelter for 4,500 cattle has been established by the authorities in Rewala, Khanpur in the South West district, the petition read.

It said no ambulance service is available for cows to send them to the isolation shelter or any other place.

The court was requested in the plea to direct the authorities to set aside a sufficient number of ambulances to handle cases.

"Due to sheer apathy and lack of determination on the part of respondents and absence of government infrastructure, the public has been constrained to approach and contact local gau sewaks or NGOs for help and they are treating and burying infected cows," the plea said.