High court orders relocation of Bhalaswa & Ghazipur dairy colonies

Acting Chief Justice Manmeet Arora ruled that there was an urgent need to establish 200 metric ton biogas plants in each dairy farm. The MCD and DUSIB countered that they did not have adequate funds or land to establish biogas plants and provide grazing areas for the cattle. Chief Justice Arora also pulled up the authorities for not initiating any corrective action in dairy farms, despite previous instructions to ensure sanitation, hygiene and compliance with rules.

The court had identified problems related to cattle welfare such as proper disposal of carcasses and waste, maintenance of adequate ventilation and water, tagging, and contamination of milk due to illegal substances like oxycontin.

During the hearing, the authorities were questioned about the lack of substantive progress to prevent cattle from feeding on garbage at the landfill site despite previous orders on May 8 and 27. The Delhi government’s proposal to build a wall was dismissed as existing walls in the colonies had been breached, giving cattle access to feed on toxic waste.

Earlier the court had also expressed dismay at the Animal Husbandry Department as many dairy farms have a single veterinary officer for thousands of cattle. The court stated that with such a poor ratio, dairies will not be able to operate smoothly.

The case has been filed against nine dairy allotments in Delhi. One of the dairies highlighted to start a pilot project was Madanpur Khadar, which has 206 dairy farms. Gagandeep Singh Bhiduri, counsel for the dairy allotment, stated that they were ready to comply with all rules and regulations required to transform the area but required proper guidance and support from the Delhi authorities as well as interaction with the dairy stakeholders for solutions.

Advocate Bhiduri said, “They have passed all checks in terms of number of cattle, space requirements, exhaust fans and other necessities for raising cattle. However, these are traditional farming communities and need institutional support to upgrade their facilities.”

Chief Justice Arora pointed out that the dairy farm areas were being used for non-dairy purposes such as housing or other commercial activities. According to the Pradhan (chief) of Madanpur Khadar, Anil Gujjar, “Dairy farming families were allotted these lands since 1977 and our residences have been on these lands since then. Without ownership rights our residences or ration shops are considered to be “unsanctioned" use of the land, but in order to take proper care of cattle, we need to be here 24/7.”

Petitioner Sunayana Sibal, who filed the case in 2022, says that animal cruelty is not a standalone issue, problems of public health and food security are related to it. The eventual urbanisation in and around these dairy farms was unprecedented hence there is a need for the re-location of these farms as they were not meant to deal with commercialisation or large residential populations.

"The court has taken a firm stance on the issue of space for animals, directing authorities to reduce the number of cows per farm," she said.