600 cattle-sheds operating without license in city

The Dairy Development Department has failed to curb menace of illegal cattle-sheds in the city as more than 600 private cattle-sheds are operating without permission in the city. After registering nine First Investigation Reports (FIRs) against illegal cattle-sheds, the department is looking at Nagpur Municipal Corporation for further action. However, NMC officials said that as licensing authority is Dairy Development Department then how could they initiate action against the cattle-sheds. The city has more than 1100 cattle-sheds.

Of them, 457 were given licenses as remaining cattle-shed owners failed to comply necessary documents. The dairy development department is the authority which issues licenses to cattle-sheds in the urban areas as per the notification of State Government issued in year 2003. To get the license, one has to file a form with No Objection Certificate (NOC) from NMC and residents of area. This license needs to be renewed every year. More than 250 applications for the license are pending with the department due to lack of documents.

A total of nine First Investigation Reports (FIRs) were also registered by the department against illegal cattle-sheds situated in Jaripatka, Nara and Nari area last year. However, the registration of FIR is not making any impact on the illegal cattle-sheds due to the lack of coordination between NMC and the officials of the Dairy Development Department. An official of the department said that NMC should take the matter further and remove the illegal cattle-sheds. However, NMC officials said that NMC can not take such action as they are not the licensing authority. These cattle-sheds are operating across the city especially in the outskirts of Nagpur. As the families living nearby the cattle-sheds are not in favour of the cattle-sheds, the cattle owners are not getting NOC from them.

Hence, the cow-shed owners operating illegally continue to openly pollute the river by dumping carcasses and cow dung. An official of NMC said, “We are initiating regular action against cattle-shed for not maintaining hygenic condition in the shed. But we can not demolish the sheds.” It is estimated that more than 10,000 cattle are housed in 1100 cattle-sheds in the city. Amol Purale, Dairy Development Officer, informed The Hitavada that NMC was the authority to take action against illegal cattle-sheds. “We are canceling licenses of many sheds due to lack of documents,” he said.