STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: A Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Tashi Rabastan in the open court expressed its dissatisfaction over the response filed by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO Save Animal Value Environment (SAVE) through its Chairperson Devinder Kaur Madaan alias Rumpy Madaan seeking closure of 59 un-registered dairies running within the limits of JMC.
The Division Bench headed by Justice Alok Ardahe directed Advocate Sachin Gupta appearing for JMC to take appropriate instructions from JMC before the next date of hearing over the issues highlighted in the PIL and also directed him to come out with an Action Plan for addressing the concern expressed in the PIL.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina and Supriya Chouhan appearing for the PIL whereas Advocate Sachin Gupta appearing for JMC and Advocate Amita Khajuria appearing for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Justice Alok Aradhe observed that reply filed by the JMC is totally silent over the issues raised in the PIL. The court further observed that there is no indication in the reply about the milk dairies which have not come forward for registration as per the norms of the JMC and further the reply is conspicuous about the action taken against the dairies which are un-registered. The Division Bench further expressed displeasure over the non-adherence to the provisions of Section 44 (n) of the Jammu Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 wherein the JMC is under a statutory obligation to regulate the functioning of the milk dairies.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed submitted that after the Division Bench took cognizance of the matter, the JMC woke up from the deep slumber and issued cyclostyled notices to 123 dairy owners requiring them to get their dairy units registered with JMC else close down or relocate them outside the municipal limits within 2 weeks and in default the JMC shall seal and impound the animals under relevant rules / sections of the Jammu Municipal Corporation Act 2000.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that there is no whisper in the reply about the action taken by JMC against 59 un-registered dairies as JMC in response to a RTI application vide no. VPHS / MVO / 331 dated December 19, 2014 read with communication no. JMC / S / RTI / 4758 dated January 21, 2015 had admitted that there are 59 number of un-registered milk dairies situated in the JMC Limits. After considering the submissions of Advocate S.S. Ahmed, the Division Bench also directed Advocate Amita Khajuria appearing for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to file response to the PIL before the next date of hearing.
