DDPO turns down Maneka8217;s directions

KHARAR, JUNE 21: Roopnagar District Development and Panchayat Officer has turned down the directions issued by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Maneka Gandhi to either close down or regulate the pashu mandi8217; at Kharar, where cattle were allegedly sold for slaughtering purposes.In a report submitted to the Director, Punjab Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, DDPO Kuldeep Singh said the revenue earned from the pashu mandi8217;, which was at present about Rs 4.5 lakh per annum, will dwindle as sale and purchase of cattle would continue as usual, if the steps were taken to regulate the pashu mandi8217;.

In April, Union Social Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi had asked Roopnagar District Magistrate Kulbir Singh Sidhu to take steps to regulate the pashu mandi8217; at Kharar. She had urged him to issue directions to either regulate the number of animals that were brought here and provide proper sheds for them or else close down the mandi. She said the mandi violated the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Sidhu consequently asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner Development to take necessary steps in this regard. Following this, the ADC Development directed the DDPO to take immediate steps to regulate the pashu mandi. It is believed to be the biggest illegal export centre for cattle in Punjab from where about 20 truckloads are sent daily to slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Roopnagar District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals SPCA has criticised the DDPO8217;s action in turning down the directions. SPCA president Chetan Aggarwal and general secretary Mohinder Kumar Jain termed the report submitted by the DDPO as totally false and baseless.