you are a press reporter. write a report on the recent cattle catching rive launched by MCD to clear stray cattle from delhi roads
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NEW DELHI, FEB. 27. Refusing to follow the "verbal orders" of the political masters to go slow on the issue, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, backed by the High Court order, has launched a drive to impound and auction stray cattle and shut down illegal dairies operating in various parts of the city.
It is learnt that since a fresh offensive to catch and auction stray cattle of illegal dairies was launched, the MCD has in the past one week been successful in catching 100 stray cattleheads and auction them at the Bapraulla Cattle Pond. The action has already generated revenue of around Rs. 6 to 7 lakhs and the drive would continue uninterrupted. Interestingly, there has been little resistance from illegal dairy owners and their political master after the court directed the Police Commissioner to render necessary assistance to MCD to carry out this task. The High Court had last year ordered closure of all illegal dairies that have more than 35,000 cattle, a majority of which roam on the city roads leading to accidents and even deaths of innocent citizens.
However, despite the court order, the Delhi Government had issued verbal orders to the MCD not to go ahead with the drive but refused to give anything in writing. Even the Finance Minister, A.K. Walia, did not give anything in writing but wanted the drive to be slowed down. "The political leaders as well as Ministers do not want to invite the wrath of the court by asking the civic to stop the drive. They are issuing verbal orders and putting the MCD in the dock for no reason. This time the drive will be taken to its logical conclusion,'' a senior official remarked.
It is understood that after the incident of goring of two people by a bull on February 4 in East Delhi, the Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi, took up the matter seriously. At this, the MCD Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, wrote back to Mr. Joshi asking for permission to start the drive afresh. The matter was again referred back to the Delhi Government asking why prompt action was not being taken in the matter and reasons for delay. In turn, it is learnt the Delhi Government asked for more time to sort out the matter and find a solution to the problem. However, in view of the court orders, the MCD decided to once again launch the drive and take on illegal dairies functioning in the periphery of the Capital.
The MCD has pleaded that in a city that is urbanising rapidly, illegal dairies and stray cattle cannot be allowed to roam freely on roads. It has pointed out that even the Master Plan of Delhi does not envisage the existence of rural villages during the next 15 years and therefore action had to be taken to stop the functioning of unauthorised dairies in the Capital. The political patronage that had resulted in stopping of this action only gave a boost to unauthorised dairy owners to carry out their illegal activity. When the Delhi Government and the authorities are talking about sprucing up Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it is reluctant to clear the roads of stray cattle and close down the illegal dairies.
Interestingly, investigations by the MCD has revealed that the dairy owners have already made their own arrangement for carrying out their operations uninterrupted from the adjoining States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in the event of punitive action against them in Delhi.
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