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.