Take steps to prevent spread of glanders disease in animals: Delhi HC to municipal bodies

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked municipal bodies to take steps to prevent spread of glanders disease in animals including horses and issued notice to the Delhi government and others on an application filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India.

A single-judge bench of Justice Najmi Waziri directed the municipal corporations to identify the affected animals from the glanders diseases and provide them treatment and listed the matter for further hearing on October 6.

The High Court also asked the Delhi government and municipal corporations in Delhi to file their reply on the PETA India's application.

In its application, the PETA has sought directions to implement the provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animal Act, 2009 and National Action Plan for control and eradication of glanders in horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys in the national capital.

It also sought directions to the Delhi government to test all the horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys in the national capital immediately.

The application said that despite there being a complete ban on plying of horse-drawn carts on roads of Delhi, authorities are brazenly permitting the carts to be plied in Delhi thereby jeopardising not only the safety and security of the residents of the national capital but also undermining the risk, torture and cruelty meted out to the equines.

That entire Delhi is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled the government to lockdown the entire country, and the said directions are continuing to date and the virus has created turmoil in the life of the people, the plea said.

It said that the outbreak of another disease like glanders in the horses, mules and donkeys, and its transmission to humans will lead to catastrophe and will create havoc for the people of Delhi.

The petitioner apprehended that if the authorities fail to take timely action in preventing the spread of zoonotic disease, same may lead to the death of not only mute and helpless animals but it may also claim several human lives.

Concerned authorities instead of testing every horse, mule, donkey being housed and plying in Delhi have closed its eyes towards the approaching zoonotic disease and is not taking any measures to prevent people of Delhi from the outbreak of another life-threatening disease, the plea said.

(ANI)

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