Animal rights activists have requested the State administration to ensure that High Court order prohibiting animal sacrifice in the name of religion barring certain conditions is strictly implemented on the occasions of Dusshera and Bakra Eid to be commemorated in the coming days.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar, the PFA Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi has stated that in a PIl filed by her, the Nainital High Court had ordered in December 2011 that such animals can be killed only for human consumption.
The letter cites the High Court order which States, “We accordingly conclude the matter and direct the State and its agencies to ensure that no destruction/killing/sacrifice of any nature of any animal takes places outside a registered or licensed slaughter house, if such destruction/killing/sacrifice is to take place in any city, town or urban or semi-urban area of the State, which areas are within the jurisdiction of municipalities or other local authorities, and to ensure that the purpose of such killing/sacrifice is to arrange food for mankind and for no other purpose.
Though it is not necessary that killing/sacrifice of animals in rural area should take place within slaughter house, it is obligatory on the part of the State to ensure that such killing/sacrifice is for the purpose of arranging food for mankind and no other purpose.We, accordingly direct the State and its agencies to adhere to their obligations, as indicated above, and to implement the same vigorously, with an appeal to the people of the State as above,” the HC order states.
According to Maulekhi, the HC had passed another order in September 2012 clarifying its earlier order. On the occasions of Dusshera and Bakra Eid, animals are slaughtered in the name of religion at various temples, mosques, homes, roadsides, public places, woods, riverbanks and other places in blatant violation of the HC order in a way which negatively affects the health and sentiments of the public, she stressed.
The organisation has requested the CS to issue strict instructions to all districts to ensure that the court order is not violated. Meanwhile, the Haridwar district administration informed Maulekhi that it would take necessary steps to prevent animal sacrifice at Dakshin Kali shrine where animals are sacrificed on the occasion of Saptami on Friday.