STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: A Division Bench (DB) comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sanjeev Kumar on Wednesday issued notices to Chief Secretary J&K, Commissioner/Secretary to Government of J&K General Administration Department, Commissioner/Secretary to Government of J&K Animal/Sheep Husbandry Department AHD, Divisional Commissioner Srinagar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Director Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu and Director Animal Husbandry Department, Srinagar returnable within four weeks in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Save Animal Value Environment (SAVE) an NGO working for welfare of animals through its Chairperson Devinder Kaur Madaan seeking constitution of District Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in all the 22 Districts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Advocate Sheikh Najeeb Ashraf with Advocates Supriya Chouhan and Irtiza Mushtaq appeared for the PIL. Additional Advocate General Rohit Kapoor accepted notices on behalf of Chief Secretary J&K, Commissioner/Secretary, GAD and Commissioner/Secretary to Government of J&K AHD.
Advocate Najeeb Ashraf appearing for the PIL drew the attention of the Division Bench towards communication No.9-1/ 2015-16/PCA dated September 16, 2015 whereby Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) requested Chief Secretaries of all the States including State of J&K to take necessary steps to constitute the State Animal Welfare Board and District SPCAs if not already done. He further submitted that till date District Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have not been constituted in all the 22 Districts of the State of J&K.
Advocate Ashraf also drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the directions of the Apex Court passed in Geeta Seshamani verses Union of India and others wherein the Apex Court on August, 6, 2008 had directed all the States to establish SPCAs in every district.
Advocate Ashraf further highlighted that the Apex Court had granted a period of three months for the constitution of the aforesaid societies but more than nine years have lapsed and till date the directions of the Apex Court have not been complied.