The Indian Express 24.08.2012
Consider licences to Victoria carriages: HC to BMC
The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the state traffic
department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to consider
the issue of granting various licences to Victoria carriages ‘in
accordance with law. The court also directed that the carriage owners
should obtain the licence by September 30.
The order came after the BMC told the court that the civic body
had taken a policy decision in 1973 to not grant licences to stables for
horses which pull Victoria carriages owing to public health hazards and
inconvenience.
However, in response to the statement, Chief Justice Mohit Shah
directed the civic body to consider applications according to law,
saying, “You (BMC) may insist on a high standard for the stables.”
The judges asked the BMC to take into account the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act,
1888 while taking decisions about the licences. They have asked the
authorities to ensure that licences are issued only to stables which are
found to be in a satisfactory condition.
In an order in November last year, the High Court had ordered the
BMC to seize horses which pull Victoria carriages in the city and are
kept in unlicensed stables. The court passed the order in response to a
public interest litigation filed by an NGO, Animals and Birds Charitable
Trust, which raises issues of rampant absence of licences for victoria
carriages, stables as well as drivers.
The court has also directed the BMC to hand over horses which
have been seized to NGOs who have volunteered to take care of the
horses. The issue will now be heard in October.
