The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to file an affidavit in two weeks stating the steps taken to rehabilitate the horses, owners and coachmen of Victoria horse carriages.
A Division Bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and P.R. Bora was hearing a public interest litigation filed by city-based NGO Animals and Birds Charitable Trust alleging cruelty to horses by using them for joyrides. In June 2015, the High Court gave the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation one year’s time to ban the plying of the carriages in the city. The court had also directed the State government to frame a rehabilitation scheme on or before December 31, 2015. The PIL sought directions to the Mumbai Traffic Police and the State to ensure the horse carriages that were are not licensed under the provisions of the Bombay Public Conveyance Act, 1920, were not allowed to ply in the city.
On Wednesday, Additional Government Pleader Milind More informed the court that the committee set up to look into the issue has held two hearings and will require four months’ time to frame the scheme.
