Himachal Pradesh high court on Friday issued notice to the state government on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Lawyers for Human Rights International on stray cattle causing accidents in the state.
The plea mentioned the September 27 accident in which Punjabi singer Rajvir Jawanda lost his life.
The singer had suffered severe head and spinal injuries after his motorcycle had collided with stray cattle that suddenly appeared on the road.
The accident took place near the Haryana-Himachal border. However, it was later established that the accident had taken place in the jurisdiction of Haryana Police.
The division bench, headed by justice GS Sandhawalia, has sought the government’s response to the petition.
The petitioner stated that the Himachal is levying a cow cess of ₹10 per bottle of liquor, which was introduced in the 2023-24 budget to generate an estimated ₹100 crore annually for cow welfare and related schemes.
Additionally, a cow cess and environment cess on electricity consumption was proposed in the Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Bill, 2024, which was passed by the assembly to further promote milk procurement, increase milk production and protect the environment.
Citing a recent news report, the petitioner mentioned that in past one year, the state has amassed over ₹100 crore through cow cess and argued that the cess was not being properly utilised for the maintenance and safe keeping of stray cows and domesticated cattle which are let loose by the farmers or owners to roam around freely on roads, causing accidents and hence, safety of citizens is being jeopardised.
{{/usCountry}}Citing a recent news report, the petitioner mentioned that in past one year, the state has amassed over ₹100 crore through cow cess and argued that the cess was not being properly utilised for the maintenance and safe keeping of stray cows and domesticated cattle which are let loose by the farmers or owners to roam around freely on roads, causing accidents and hence, safety of citizens is being jeopardised.
{{/usCountry}}The petitioner had prayed that directions be issued to the respondents so that stray cattle menace is dealt with properly. Further, the petitioner prayed that directions be issued to the respondent state to use cow cess collected for cow maintenance and safe keeping of cattle only so that no stray cattle as well as cattle left by farmers is permitted to roam around on roads and causing accidents leading to the loss of human life and serious injuries.