The High Court of Karnataka on Monday ordered issue of notices to the State government and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on a PIL petition questioning the shifting of 31 of the 56 veterinary centres in the city to other places in the State.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Budiha R.B told the authorities to furnish the details of the cattle in the city, while adjourning further hearing on the petition.
It has been claimed in the petition, filed by Bengaluru Mahangara Gopalaka Sangha, that there is a sharp contrast in the number of cattle in the city. While there are 4.3 lakh head of cattle in the city as per the provisional data of the 19th Animal Census released by the government, there are only 14,589 head of cattle in the city in the government’s order on its decision to shift the veterinary centres, the petitioner contended.
The petitioner claimed that the remaining 25 centres would not be sufficient to serve the purpose.
When the authorities are unable to take care of humans, how then can the petitioner ask them to take care of cattle, the Bench observed in a lighter vein, while also observing that cattle on the city’s streets could cause traffic hazards.
