The Telangana High Court recently directed the state government to provide adequate funds for the goshalas through the State Animal Welfare Board by stressing that it is primarily the executive function of the State to look after and maintain goshalas.
This order was issued by a bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C. V. Bhaskar Reddy while responding to a PIL plea filed by Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh. The PIL was seeking direction from the state government to make provisions for providing green grass, feed, and fodder along with medicines for the cows and other animals housed in the state goshalas and to allocate funds for the goshalas.
In a counter affidavit of the same matter, the State Government informed the Court that there are about 136 goshalas in the State of Telangana housing 38,229 cattle. Whereas in Hyderabad city there are about 40 goshalas with approximately 25,000 cattle housed therein.
The government also briefed the Court that the goshalas are normally established by any person, trust, board, NGO, etc, and are maintained by funds generated through donations, etc, and whenever the Government was approached, the Goshalas were provided veterinary aid for the treatment of cattle besides fodder, seed, etc.
Telangana High Court was also told by the state government that the State of Telangana is rigidly following the provisions of the Telangana Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, 1977, and the animal husbandry department of the State Government is providing essential services to the livestock including animals in goshalas.
The Court also highlighted taking into account the claims made by the state government and the obligation of Article 48 of the Indian Constitution, that the state has a duty to maintain cows and calves, which are commonly housed in gaushalas.
The Telangana government on April 30, 2019, for a term of three years established “The Telangana State Animal Welfare Board” with the purpose of assisting gaushalas and other animal shelters operating in the state and to provide advice on how to enhance their operations. The Court also observed that The State Animal Welfare Board’s tenure had not been extended and the aforementioned three years had passed.
Further, the High Court said in its order, “Either reconstitute Telangana State Animal Welfare Board or extend its constitution for such period as may be deemed necessary, instead of leaving it to the Board to earn the funds for itself, the State should provide adequate financial assistance to the Board so that it can maintain, manage and look after the gaushalas functioning in the State of Telangana.”
