The Madras High Court has directed Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to periodically carry out checks in 'goshalas' and of temples' upkeep of elephants and submit their independent report, enabling it to assess whether this system was working or not.
The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam gave this order recently on a PIL seeking a direction to formulate a comprehensive scheme for upkeep of cattle in temples administered by the Hindu Religous & Charitable Endowments Department, consistent with the April 2004 HC order, laying down a 15-point guideline.
"We would like to observe the functioning as established for sometime and call upon the Animal Welfare Board of India to periodically carry out checks and submit their independent report both in respect of goshalas and the temples' upkeep of elephants so that we have an independent assessment as to whether this system is working or not," the bench said.
The court had issued the 15-point charter for goshalas to follow for managing the donated cows which are sheltered there once they pass the milk-yielding phase.
As part of the guidelines, framed in the backdrop of outrage over temples selling cows to butchers, the court had banned sale of cows donated by devotees and directed temples to maintain details of the donors. Animals should be subjected to periodical medical check-up and cow sheds should be clean and hygienic, it had said.
On March 3, 2015, when the PIL by social activist Radha Rajan came up for hearing, the bench had pointed out that a meeting of officials and an expert committee held on February 11 said resolutions adopted at the meeting would be binding on the authorities, who must comply with it.
When the matter came up again in the beginning of this week, affidavits were filed by the Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries Department as well as by the Commissioner, HR& CE Department.
The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Chennai, had issued a circular on September 21 requiring temple goshalas to send monthly reports to HR&CE Deputy Commissioner and that necessary instructions would be issued to veterinary surgeons attached to nearby veterinary dispensaries.
As far as elephants are concerned, a list has been given in the context of temples, where they are looked after, and the number of mahouts with their experience.
