New Delhi

`Drive' against illegal dairies

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 27. Despite mounting pressure from politicians and opposition from influential quarters, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today launched its `drive' against unauthorised dairies in the Capital.

The drive has been launched at the direction of the Delhi High Court. Following a public interest litigation, the Court had directed disconnecting water and power connections to all illegal dairies and removing of stray cattle from the Capital by October.

A special MCD-led Task Force comprising officials from BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. and Delhi Jal Board accompanied by a large contingent of police force started the drive from Savitri Nagar, Begumpur, Hauz Rani and adjoining areas of South Delhi. Over 50 buffaloes were caught during the drive and eight illegal dairies were shut down. The cattle was taken to makeshifts gosadans on the city outskirts, where they would be auctioned by the MCD on Friday.

The police detained a couple of people who offered resistance. The owners of these illegal dairies alleged that they were not given any prior notice. "Had we known, we would have removed our cattle to other places," said Shakina Begum, claiming that the Task Force took all 28 buffaloes from her dairy running from a DDA park in Begampur.

"We removed the BJP because they were anti-people. We never thought that the Congress would be doing the same once voted to power," shouted an elderly Sikh. Some of the colony residents, who had come to the dairies for milk, also opposed the drive. "We do not like packed milk. What will our children drink now?" asked Indravati in Malviya Nagar.

At Hauz Rani a large number of women gheraoed the 70-member Task Force for quite some time.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, who received calls from all over Delhi from politicians and influential people against this drive, said there were about 3,500 illegal dairies and about 35,000 stray cattle. Undeterred by the protests and mounting opposition, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, said the MCD would continue with its drive.

Giving details of the drive, he said the cattle were being lifted in vehicles and taken to three temporary gosadans at Khanjawala, Ghoga and Baprola. "While the buffaloes would be auctioned the very next day, cows would be sent to a gosadan in Mount Abu, Rajasthan," he said. The MCD has entered into a special arrangement with a Mount Abu gosadan for transportation of about 4,000 cows.

Claiming that there were nearly 2,700 people who were running unauthorised dairies across the Capital, Mr. Mehta said they would not be allowed to pollute the city.

An estimated 700 tonnes of dung is emptied into the Yamuna every day. "We cannot let this happen," he said.

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