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Indicted in inquiry, NGO behind cattle death continues to run Mohali gaushala
MC commissioner Kamal Kumar said the inquiry report had been sent to the local bodies department for action against the NGO and once that is approved, they will cancel their contract.
Despite being indicted in an inquiry report pertaining to the death of 281 cattle at city’s lone gaushala in Industrial Area, Phase 1, NGO Gouri Shankar Sewa Dal continues to run the pound.
In November last year, Mohali municipal corporation (MC) had allotted the contract for maintenance work of the pound to a Delhi-based company, but neither was the firm handed over the gaushala nor did the MC cancel the former contract.
In December last year, in the second inquiry conducted by former MC commissioner,who is now director of local bodies, Bhupinder Pal Singh, the NGO was indicted and it was recommended that action be taken against them.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times, MC commissioner Kamal Kumar said the inquiry report had been sent to the local bodies department for action against the NGO and once that is approved, they will cancel their contract.
The report had stated that there was negligence on the part of the NGO in running the gaushala as they did not comply with the norms of either animal husbandry or the contract. Around 280 cattle had died at the gaushala in January and February last year as a result.
DEPUTY MAYOR CRIED FOUL
However, the deputy mayor of the municipal corporation, Manjit Singh Sethi, alleged connivance of MC officers with the NGO and said, “I will make sure that an FIR is registered against MC officials involved with the NGO.”
The probe was ordered after a report by MC joint commissioner Kanu Thind recommended an investigation into the matter. In her report, Thind had indicted Gouri Shankar Sewa Dal. The NGO, which had adopted the gaushala in July 2017, was given ₹13 per animal per day by the MC. Around 800 stray cattle are believed to have died since then.
