GHMC books 12 camel owners
Civic body forms 8 panels to stop illegal killing of camels for Bakrid
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials have prosecuted as many 12 camel owners in Gudimalkapur, Dhola Ri Dhani in Kompally and Ramsighpura for using the animals for joy rides since Sunday. The civic body has banned joy rides on camels and constituted a special team to identify the number of camels in the city.
Responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by animal rights activist, Dr Shashikala
Kopanati, the Telangana High Court had asked the GHMC and the animal husbandry and police departments to prevent cruelty towards animals. It had asked to the GHMC to prevent camel slaughter for Bakrid and the transport of the camels out of Rajasthan.
In compliance with these orders, eight teams comprising the GHMC, police, veterinary and animal husbandry officials were constituted for joint inspection of legal and illegal slaughterhouses in the Greater Hyderabad limits.
The teams would first stop camel joy rides on priority and curtail the illegal slaughter of camels and other animals on the prohibited list. Officials said that the drive would continue for a week. They have also warned of stringent action if camels were slaughtered under the pretext of Bakrid.
Officials informed that cases of camel trade were reported in 2017 and their number has increased, mostly for joy rides not only in the GHMC limits but in the state as a whole.
“The general public is hereby informed not to engage in transportation of camels, illegal slaughtering of camels and sale of camel meat in the GHMC limits. Any contravention of the above is punishable as per the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, GHMC Act, 1955 and under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code which attracts imprisonment of up to five years or fine or both,” the GHMC said in an official statement.
Officials argue in the past six years, no specific cases of illegal transportation of camels were registered by the transport department. Telangana state is not a natural habitat for camels. As per the livestock census, 2019, there were 71 camels in the state.