BMC to send notice to 263 cattle shed owners to shift to Palghar
BMC to send notice to 263 cattle shed owners to shift to Palghar
The P/East ward (Malad) has the highest number of illegal cattle sheds, with 34 sheds holding 1,635 animals. They will soon receive notices from the BMC.
August 9, 2024
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to relocate 263 cattle sheds from Mumbai. Notices will be issued to barn owners, urging them to move to an allotted land parcel in Palghar’s Dapchari village. If the stable owners do not comply, the civic body will take legal action.
As per reports, the state government has requested BMC’s help in removing the cattle sheds. A survey conducted by the civic body identified 263 barns housing 9,959 cattle, of which only 59 barns have licenses. The remaining 204 sheds are unauthorized and currently house 6,352 cattles.
The P/East ward (Malad) has the highest number of illegal cattle sheds, with 34 sheds holding 1,635 animals. They will soon receive notices from the BMC. The P/South ward comprising Goregaon has the most licensed cattle sheds, with 32, followed by the L ward in Kurla, which has seven.
Cattle sheds are also present in other locations, such as Govandi, Bhandup, Kurla, Chembur, Mulund, Andheri West, Khar, and Bandra. However, the barns in Aarey Colony are on forest department land and have the necessary authorizations, so they are not required to relocate.
The push to move cattle sheds out of Mumbai gained momentum after hundreds of cattle died during the floods on July 26, 2005, leading to the amendment of the Maharashtra Keeping and Movement of Cattle in Urban Areas (Control) Act, 1976.
Despite this, cattle shed owners refused to relocate to Dapchari. In response, the Bombay High Court criticized the Maharashtra government for not relocating the sheds and animals. Further, the Bombay Milk Association appealed the decision to the High Court, but the high court favoured the relocation. The association later approached the Supreme Court, which dismissed their plea and supported the relocation.
Following a notification from the state government in July 2006, the BMC halted issuing licenses to cattle sheds within the city. However, the state government has struggled to remove the sheds because many are located on collector land.
Currently, the BMC is finalizing a document that will ask for the relocation of these sheds in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling. The notice will instruct cattle shed owners to form an association and begin the move to the designated land in Dapchari. If they fail to relocate within the given timeframe, further action will be taken against them.
