High court appoints 22 court commissioners to check functioning of SPCAs in Punjab, Haryana

Twelve court commissioners have been appointed for Punjab and 10 for Haryana. They would visit assigned districts on November 25

: The Punjab and Haryana high court has appointed 22 court commissioners to check state of facilities at infirmaries and functioning of Society For Prevention of Animals (SPCAs) constituted in districts of Punjab and Haryana.

High court appoints 22 court commissioners to check functioning of SPCAs in Punjab, Haryana

Twelve court commissioners have been appointed for Punjab and 10 for Haryana. They would visit assigned districts on November 25, barring Bhiwani and Karnal in Haryana, in whose cases state sought time to take requisite steps, and submit reports on next date of hearing on December 20.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Mowgli Aid Animal Welfare Society, alleging failure of authorities to allocate/provide adequate land and other facilities to SPCAs for the purpose of constructing infirmaries and animal shelters in the districts as required according to the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Rules, 2001.

The high court had summoned Punjab and Haryana’s additional secretaries of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department for the hearing on November 17. During the hearing, both the states had listed out steps taken for compliance of 2001 rules and given details of facilities of all infirmaries.

However, the counsel for petitioners led by Anurag Chopra had questioned veracity of claims made by both the governments and told court that the infirmaries in question are neither functional nor SPCA’s of the district levels properly constituted.

“This court finds that it would be expedient to ascertain the statement of fact as reflected in the status reports submitted by the state of Haryana as well state of Punjab and controverted by the petitioner(s) by sending the local commissioners to different districts across,” the bench of justice Vinod S Bhardwaj observed, appointing the court commissioners, who would be paid approximately ₹ 38,000 for the visit and other expenses.

They have been told to apprise court details of the total area of land/premises utilised for SPCA and/or infirmaries in each district and details of the area/premises allocated to the district for SPCA and/or infirmaries.

Further, they have to detail about the employees posted in their respective places or SPCAs along with their employee code, their qualification, nature of their employment and details of the administrator, if any, who has been appointed and also as to whether appointment of the administrator is by the society.

The reports would also have the details of infrastructure and facilities available, including ambulance and medicines/equipment available at SPCA and/or infirmaries, the court said, asking the court commissioners to also click 5-10 coloured photographs of the concerned places covering the entire area.