Delhi HC grants protection to key animal rights activist in dairy shifting case

A bench of acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Manmeet PS Arora, in its August 23 order that was released later, directed the Delhi police commissioner to undertake a threat perception analysis qua Sunayana Sibal before August 27

New Delhi

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The Delhi high court directed the Delhi Police to deploy a beat officer at the residence of animal rights activist Sunayana Sibal, on whose plea the court ordered the relocation of dairies from Bhalswa to Ghogha.

A bench of acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Manmeet PS Arora, in its August 23 order that was released later, directed the Delhi police commissioner to undertake a threat perception analysis qua Sibal before August 27, when the court would hear the petition on the issue of unhygienic dairies.

The order was issued after Sibal informed the court that two unidentified persons from Madanpur Khadar entered her residence around 6.30pm on Thursday in a bid to threaten her. Although she was not at home at the time of the incident, she expressed her fear for safety, through an application filed by senior advocate Vivek Sibal.

During the hearing last Friday, the court, taking a serious view regarding the alleged threats, said that it would pass an order directing the local SHO (station house officer) of the area where she lived to ensure that no harm is caused to her and also assess the threat perception. “You will ensure your people in Madanpur Khadar fall in line. They can’t threaten anyone. If anyone threatens the petitioner, we won’t tolerate it,” the bench said to the lawyer representing residents of Madanpur Khadar.

On July 19, the high court directed the Delhi government and statutory authorities, including the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), to extend their sanctions for shifting all dairies from Bhalswa to Ghogha Dairy Colony, within four weeks, while expressing displeasure over the inability of authorities to stop milch cattle from feeding on garbage from landfills.

Following the high court order, the MCD issued notices, giving defaulters an ultimatum to vacate the encroached premises. It said that a demolition drive would be taken against all illegal and unauthorised constructions.

However, on August 9, the high court granted interim protection to dairy owners from demolition and sealing of their plots by the MCD and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), subject to the individuals undertaking to shift their dairies. The same was extended by the high court till August 23.

On August 23, dairy owners at Bhalswa and Ghazipur Colony submitted to the court that they were willing to relocate their cattle within eight weeks, following which the court granted authorities liberty to seize livestock or animals and shift them to other facilities in case there was no compliance.