Goshalas of Delhi
Awareness program on plight of the animals sheltered at Goshalas of Delhi
JBF(INDIA) sta rted awareness programs to make people aware of the situation of the cattle at Shelters (Gosadans /Goshalas). These cattle are lifted from the streets of congested city to shelter at cattle shelters. Due to lack of adequate facilities of water, feed and veterinary care at these shelters a number of cattle are subjected to cruel death every year. JBF(INDIA) advocate that street cattle should be allowed to live on the streets where they have chance to get food or water everyday until there is adequate infrastructure in the shelters to accommodate more number of cattles.
During the year 2003, JBF(INDIA) team started to visit Goshalas (Animal Shelters). Municipal Corporation of Delhi lifts street cattle to give them shelter at the Goshalas. Due to improper management and lack of proper veterinary care facilities the condition of the cattle of these shelters are pitiable. JBF(INDIA) team a good number of cattle suffering from different ailments during its visit. Mass deworming drive was carried out in one shelter, care for skin infection and malnutrition etc are also taken care by JBF(INDIA) in certain area.
The Honourable Delhi High Court has given the ruling that Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) should remove all cattle from the city streets. The implementation of this ruling is taking time, but slowly these cattle are being taken to several shelters around the city where they are supposed to be looked after properly for the rest of their natural lives. One of those shelters is Manav Gou Sadan at Rewla Khanpur, New Delhi. JBF(INDIA) came to know about the terrible condition of the animals at the shelters due to lack of management and lack of proper veterinary care. Representatives of JBF(INDIA)started visiting once a week from January 2004 and due constant efforts of JBF(INDIA) the shelter house authority appointed one vet of their own in the month of July 2004, still JBF(INDIA) continued the work. During last part of November 2004 JBF(INDIA) were unable to help the animals at Manav Gou Sadan as the management prohibit visit of JBF(INDIA) representative to treat the suffering animals at the shelter house.
As a result of constant suggestions and strong advocacy by JBF(INDIA) for better management of animals under shelter led to a lower death rate at cattle shelter houses which on the other hand would help with the plans for the city minimize menace of street and stray cattle. As there is no enough space to accommodate increasing number of incoming stray and street cattle to be sheltered in the shelter house, the only option left was high death rate of sheltered animals which will vacate more space everyday. Therefore, the authorities of shelters allow more death of sheltered cattle, which is often indirectly promoting cruel death of cattle.
JBF(INDIA) also believe that though the congested city is not the right place for the cattle it should not give anyone the right to condemn them to this cruel death by taking them to shelters that do not have the skills or, indeed, the inclination to give these animals proper care rather. Until provision is made for the proper care of the lifted cattle, they are better off living on the streets where at least they have some chance of finding food and water each day.
As stated above, the Honourable Delhi High Court has ordered that the National Capital should be made “A Cattle Free Zone” during the year 2005. JBF(INDIA) started campaign to make people aware of the plight of cattle after lifting from the Delhi Streets and dumping them at the shelters. Keeping it in mind, in May 2005 first campaign began with distribution of Leaflets. Volunteers were sent to different places, be it a temple or school or tourist spots of Delhi, everywhere they started distributing leaflets to public. Tremendous response was received after the distribution & JBF(INDIA) received e-mails, letters and phone calls from different people. Many volunteers came forward to help these suffering animals.
During this period a C.D. was made ready to let people observe with their own eyes, the reality of the lives of the cattle in the street, keeper’s place and at the shelters.
Leaflet campaigning of JBF(INDIA) could receive good response, yet JBF(INDIA) planned for something more rigorous. In spite of the response and awareness of the people, the lives of the animals did not improve as desired. JBF(INDIA) planned to appeal the higher authorities of the country and accordingly a kit was prepared. The kit contains total 6 items. These were:
1. A C.D.: - The C.D. was with a film named ‘Shelter or Suffering?’ the film showed the actual condition of the cattle in Delhi. They were shown how they get fodder from garbage and MCD lifts cattle from the busy streets and also from the residential areas and finally dump the animals in Shelters (Gosadans/Goshalas). These shelters just simply dump the animals leaving them to die without having food, shelters or even water. The film overall portrays the real pathetic and horrible condition of the cattle in Delhi.
2. A leaflet: - The leaflet explains how over 1000 cattle die every month in Delhi Goshalas. It shows the photographs of cruelty to animals, figures out the total animal died so far and also how MCD follows the order of the Honourable High Court of Delhi by removing the dead animals from the Goshalas and re-dumping with fresh one. In other words, the leaflets portages the scenario on cattle of Delhi-2005.
3. Another leaflet titled “ WHAT IS THE ANSWER?” – This leaflet clearly says about the condition of the animal in the street and at the shelters. The animal in the street is healthy and on the other hand the animals at the shelters are either with poor health or dying. We sent the message to the public through this leaflet that JBF also agree that Delhi streets are not the right place for cattle but sending them to overcrowded Goshalas, lacking food; water and vet care is also not the answer.
4. A post card addressed to His Excellency the President of India: Any alert citizen of the society could send this post card. The postcard was pasted with paid stamp, so, any person willing to sent had to only write their name & address and dropped it any post office letter box. Postcard mentions the pathetic condition of the cattle in Goshalas with an urge to the President to stop lifting animals until a proper system of keeping lifted animals gets established.
5. Another post card with similar matter was addressed to the Honourable Chief Justice of India.
The packet containing above items were with a covering letter from the Managing Trustee of JBF(INDIA) . The packet was sent to around 250 Individuals, Media Centers, Government officials & Organizations of India and around 450 of abroad.
In India among the recipients were His Excellency the President of India, Honourable Chief Justice of India, Honourable Prime Minister of India Honourable members of parliaments, different media houses, Welfare Organizations, Animal welfare activists etc.
Besides, as part of campaigning operation, an open letter was sent to His Excellency the President of India & Honourable Chief Justice of India. The letter was to make them aware of the cattle in Goshalas, after they are lifted from the Delhi Street.
Our campaigning was still on & just to remind the recipients of our campaigning pack as well as a further step of campaigning, a petition was sent to all of them for their signature. The petition was addressed to His Excellency the President of India, Honourable Chief justice of India, Honourable Chief minister of Delhi & the Secretary – Animal Welfare Board of India.
On October 2005, we also sent the campaign materials along with a mail to foreign correspondence based in Delhi.
Presently, JBF(INDIA) team is regularly visiting the 5 shelters that are taking cattle from Municipal Corporation of Delhi. JBF(INDIA) is in constant touch with the advocate dealing with the shelter case at the Honourable Delhi High Court by providing the latest updates on the happening of shelters.
Out come of the awareness program at Delhi
The outcome of campaigning of JBF (INDIA) is remarkable. The Honourable High court of Delhi ordered to form a monitoring committee to oversee the whole situation of Delhi cattle clearance & cattle at the shelters of Delhi. This was after the court heard evidences from many sources some supporting the shelters as they are, and some condemning the shelters conditions. JBF (INDIA) believes that campaign materials including our campaign film “Shelter or Suffering?” could convince the court regarding current pitiable condition of cattle shelter houses and requirement of rectification. JBF (INDIA) is optimistic that these suffering of these cattle will be minimized under the observation of the committee.
Moreover, as a result of the massive awareness program there have been some desirable changes in the shelters. The chairman of the monitoring committee has been replaced with Commissioner of Municipality Corporation of Delhi. Due to changes in management and monitoring the cattle under shelter are getting proper food as a result death rate decreased considerably & cattle are in better state of health.
