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http://t2ndtv.m7z.net/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Cow+menace%3A+Delhi+HC+issue+directives&id=76972

Cow menace: Delhi HC issues directives
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NDTV Correspondent

Watch story

Thursday, August 4, 2005 (Delhi):

The Delhi High Court has issued a new order directing the government to pay anyone who rounds up a cow from the street Rs 2,000.

This is the second time the court has intervened in the matter of stray cattle on the Capital's streets.

Once rounded up, the cattle have to be deposited at the Cattle Point of MCD at Malviya Nagar but the court's decision has left the MCD with a red face.

The department has once again missed it deadline to make Delhi's streets cattle free.

MCD officials to pay

What's worrying senior MCD officials even more is that the money to be paid to citizens will be deducted from the salary of the veterinary officer of the area from where the cattle has been caught.

For the time being, this decision will only be applicable to west Delhi, but it will be spread to other parts as well.

The High Court order makes it clear that they no longer believe the MCD is capable of handling the problem of stray cattle.

But the MCD looks at it differently saying the problem can only be effectively tackled with the cooperation with the people.

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http://washingtontimes.com/world/20050804-110427-2119r_page2.htm

INDIA [August 04, 2005]

Court puts bounty on stray cattle

NEW DELHI — An Indian court, disgusted by the failure of New Delhi's municipality to rope in stray cattle, said yesterday it would offer monetary rewards for the capture of the horned beasts.

Delhi High Court Chief Justice B.C. Patel and Judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul placed a bounty of 2,000 rupees ($46.50) on the capture of each animal, saying the reward money would be raised by auctioning off the cattle.

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http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/30917.html

New Delhi court orders southern area of city to start offering bounties for stray cows

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

August 4, 2005

NEW DELHI (AP):

Delhis famously free cows now have a price on their heads.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered an area of southern New Delhi to start offering rupees 2,000 (US$46) for any stray cattle brought to its pound, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

In largely Hindu India, cows are revered as sacred. They are even protected by law.

But urban India gets more crowded by the day, and in New Delhi alone some 13 million people share the city with an estimated 28,000 cows. The bovines saunter across streets blocking traffic and causing accidents. Stray ones are sometimes milked at unregistered dairies. Stampeding cows have trampled people to death.

The court-ordered bounty for stray cattle is part of an effort that began in May when the court first ruled that city officials had to remove wandering cows from the streets.

Following that ruling, authorities made an initial effort to clear cows, but the campaign soon faltered. So on Thursday, the court decided that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which governs the well-heeled sections of the city covered by the court order, had to start paying bounties.

Under the plan, the corporation would recover the award money paid out by auctioning the cattle, PTI reported.

If the experiment works, it would be replicated in other parts of the capital.

More than 70 unregistered dairies were also ordered closed by the court Tuesday, PTI reported.

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http://www.eians.com/stories/2005/08/04/04sw.shtml

Court announces cash reward for catching cattle

Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the capital's civic authorities, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to reward citizens who capture stray cattle at the rate of Rs.2,000 per animal.

A divisional bench comprising judges B.C. Patel and S.K. Kaul directed the MCD to deduct the reward amount from the salary of each of the veterinary officers posted in its 12 zones.

The court had Wednesday summoned the deputy commissioner of MCD's south zone when the counsel for the local body failed to satisfy the bench on the initiatives it had so far taken on catching stray cattle and sending them outside the city.

The bench further directed the MCD to later recover the reward amount from the owners of the cattle and repay the amount deducted from the salaries of the veterinary officers.

The court had in April given a one-week deadline to the MCD to clear the tens of thousands of stray cattle roaming the streets. But the menace continues.

--Indo-Asian News Service
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http://www.asianewsnet.net/level3_template1.php?l3sec=15&news_id=43605

Come, catch a cash cow

The Statesman

Publication Date : 2005-08-05

Here is some good news for people wanting to make a quick buck: If you’re in Delhi and see a stray cow on the street, just catch it and take it to the MCD’s cattle pound to pocket Rs 2000 (US$46).

To deal with the stray cattle menace in the South Zone area, Delhi High Court today ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to award Rs 2,000 for each animal to people bringing stray cattle to the Malaviya Nagar cattle pound.

The money given to members of the public for catching stray cattle would be recovered by auctioning the cattle.

Taking a strict view of the freely roaming cattle in the capital, a Division Bench (coram, Patel, CJ, Kaul, J) today issued directives to the South Zone deputy commissioner, Ajay Kumar, MCD veterinary officer, Dr Pradeep, and two veterinary inspectors to launch an intensive campaign in the area to make it cattle-free within a fortnight and file an affidavit latest by Aug 17.

This experiment would be replicated in other zones of the capital.

Piqued by the civic body’s failure to remove stray cattle from the Capital, the court yesterday (Aug 3) asked Kumar to appear before it today.

However, senior officials are wary of the directive, as they feel that some people may bring in stray cattle from other zones to claim the Rs 2,000 prize money.

The court also directed the deputy commissioner of police and the South Zone deputy commissioner to work in close coordination to get better results.

The court directed the MCD to publish advertisements in local newspapers giving the mobile phone numbers of these officials and two dedicated landline numbers on which members of the public could give information on stray cattle to MCD anytime.

The court also asked the Delhi Police to take action against the unauthorised dairies in the area and help the agency in carrying out its directives.

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1191475,prtpage-1.cms

The Economic Times Online

Catch a cow and get a cool Rs 2,000!

PTI[ FRIDAY, AUGUST 05, 2005 01:45:19 AM]

NEW DELHI: Next time you come across a cow on a South Delhi road, don't get perturbed. Just take her to MCD's Malviya Nagar cattle pound and earn a neat Rs 2,000 in the bargain.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday passed this innovative order to rid the city of stray cattle.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice B C Patel and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, which is monitoring the civic bodies' efforts to remove stray cattle from the capital, passed several directions.

The money given to a member of the public for catching a stray cattle would be recovered by auctioning the cattle.

Later, this experiment would be replicated in other zones of the capital too.

Piqued over MCD's failure to remove stray cattle from the capital, the court had yesterday asked the civic body's South Zone Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar to appear before it today.

The court directed Kumar, Veterinary Officer Dr Pradeep and two Veterinary Inspectors to launch an intensive campaign against stray cattle in South Zone.

If there was no visible change in the situation, these officers would be personally held responsible, the Bench said while fixing August 17 for further hearing.

It also directed MCD to publish advertisements in local newspapers giving mobile phone numbers of these officials and two dedicated landline numbers on which members of the public could give information on stray cattle to MCD anytime.

MCD counsel Najmi Waziri submitted a list of 72 unauthorised dairies and the court asked the Delhi Police to take action against these dairies and help the agency in carrying out the court's directives.

On Wednesday, the court wanted the Deputy Commissioner to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for wilful non-compliance of its order.

Lamenting that MCD has failed to remove stray cattle from the city despite an order passed in December 2002, the court had said "we are monitoring it only to see that the orders are implemented."

Justice Kaul had said that he himself counted 16 cows while driving on the road from Lady Sri Ram College to East of Kailash in the heart of the city.

"Same is the situation near AIIMS", he had observed and warned MCD officers not to take it in a very light manner.

Earlier, the court had set up a six-member panel which would file status reports after every two weeks before it.

Those on the panel are: Delhi Government's Urban Development Secretary, its Divisional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi Chairman, New Delhi Municipal Council Chairperson, Delhi Police Joint Commissioner (Traffic) and Vice Chairmam of Delhi Development Authority.

©Bennett, Coleman and Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.[/b]

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http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050805/asp/nation/story_5076754.asp

Photo on the top

Cash cows on capital streets- Rs 2,000 for stray cattle

Our right of way [August 5, 2005]

Delhi’ites could soon be queuing up for lessons before Laloo Prasad Yadav’s bungalow. A great cattle rush is on hands in elite south Delhi, where catching a single stray cow and handing it over to the civic body will earn you Rs 2,000.

This order from Delhi High Court — which thinks the corporation hasn’t been doing its bit to free the streets of cattle — today had municipal commissioner Rakesh Mehta worried.

“I will now have my cattle-catchers demanding Rs 2,000 every time they catch a cow,” he said. The court, however, had clearly said the civic authorities should pay the money to members of the public if they catch stray cattle.

The thought seemed to perk Mehta up. “It’s not that easy, you know. Catching cows is a professional business; not everyone can do it and earn Rs 2,000.”

The money will be recovered by auctioning off the impounded cattle. Before auction, a computer chip will be implanted in each cow so that its ownership can be fixed if it is caught straying again. That will invite a Rs 15,000 penalty as well as arrest. The experiment will later be repeated in other zones of the capital.

Cow-lovers, like Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore, are appalled. They believe auctioning would spell doom for “dry cows”.

“Who will maintain them? We suspect they will be sent to slaughterhouses in the name of auctioning,” the Hindutva leader said.

“There should be a pinjarapol for dry cows. They are worth Rs 3,000 a month because of the fertilisers their dung yields and their urine, which the US has patented for drugs.”

The division bench of Chief Justice B.C. Patel and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, monitoring the civic body’s efforts to remove stray cattle from the streets, had observed that the officials appeared not to take the job seriously.

Corporation counsel Najmi Waziri submitted that 200 cows had been implanted with chips yesterday, but an unimpressed Justice Kaul said he had counted 16 cows while driving from Lady Sri Ram College to east of Kailash in south Delhi. “It’s the same situation near AIIMS,” he said.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4749891.stm

Last Updated: Friday, 5 August 2005, 17:31 GMT 18:31 UK

Cash bounty on stray Indian cows

Most cows are let loose to wander around by owners.

An Indian court has issued an order telling authorities in Delhi to offer a reward for people catching stray cows roaming the capital's streets.

The Delhi High Court ordered southern Delhi authorities to pay 2,000 rupees ($45) to anyone delivering a stray cow to them.

The bounty is the latest initiative in an effort that started in May to remove stray cows.

Cows are revered as sacred among Hindus and are protected by law.

But they are a growing problem on the streets and pose a traffic hazard.

No claimants

A court order two years ago directing municipal authorities to clear the streets of cows failed to have much impact.

So now the court has introduced a cash reward in its new order. The captured cows will be taken to a cow shelter.

The authorities plan to raise the reward money by auctioning the animals.

Some estimates suggest there are as many as 40,000 cows wandering the streets of Delhi.

Most are let loose to wander by unscrupulous dairy owners.

Catching a free roaming cow is not easy - on the first day of the cash scheme there was not one claimant.

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http://www.ahmedabad.com/index/viewarticle/article/17240/section/14

Gujarat High Court asks AMC to file affidavit

August 5, 2005

The Gujarat high court on Thursday directed the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to file an affidavit stating the details of the status of the lands allotted to cattle owners in lieu of which there has been cattle menace in the city and Auda areas.

While hearing the stray cattle menace case, Justice M.R. Shah had even directed the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and the panchayats to file a final report on the steps taken by them to check stray cattle menace in their areas. After the court took serious note of the existing menace despite earlier orders of the court, Auda and panchayats on Thursday, were asked to take stringent actions and to report the court on the progress made by them. When the matter came for hearing again, the authorities concerned informed that they impounded about 80 stray cattle caught from the S.G Highway.

The state government meanwhile, submitted that the Goa and Maharashtra legislations are being studied, so that the authorities here could be directed to act on those lines. AGP Hasit Dave even argued that the 'committee that is studying the problem of cattle menace has even suggested that cattle registration should be taken up by the AMC and heavy fine should be imposed on those who let their cattle stray or do not get their cattle registered.

Appearing on behalf of Auda, Advocate Premal Nanavaty submitted that Auda will perform a role of coordinator between the various nagarpalikas and will provide them infrastructure facilities to deal with the situation.

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http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug52005/national172819200584.asp

Friday, August 5, 2005

Deccan Herald » National » Detailed Story

Catch a stray cow and get Rs 2,000!

New Delhi, pti:

The MCD counsel has submitted a list of 72 unauthorised dairies following which, the court asked the police to take action against these dairies.

Next time, you come across a cow on a South Delhi road, don’t get perturbed. Just take her to MCD’s (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) Malviya Nagar cattle pound and earn a neat Rs 2,000 in the bargain. The Delhi High Court on Thursday, passed this innovative order to rid the city of stray cattle.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice B C Patel and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, which is monitoring the civic bodies’ efforts to remove stray cattle from the capital, passed several directions.

The money given to a member of the public for catching a stray cattle would be recovered by auctioning the cattle. Later, this experiment would be replicated in other zones of the capital too.

Piqued over MCD’s failure to remove stray cattle from the capital, the court on Wednesday asked the civic body’s South Zone Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar to appear before it on Thursday.

The court directed Kumar, Veterinary Officer Dr Pradeep and two Veterinary Inspectors to launch an intensive campaign against stray cattle in South Zone.

If there was no visible change in the situation, these officers would be personally held responsible, the Bench said while fixing August 17 for further hearing.

It also directed MCD to publish advertisements in local newspapers giving mobile phone numbers of these officials and two dedicated landline numbers on which, members of the public could give information on stray cattle to MCD anytime.

MCD counsel Najmi Waziri submitted a list of 72 unauthorised dairies and the court asked the Delhi Police to take action against these dairies and help the agency in carrying out the court’s directives.

On Wednesday, the court wanted the Deputy Commissioner to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for wilful non-compliance of its order.

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http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=103921&cat=India

Court announces cash reward for catching cattle

New Delhi | August 05, 2005 10:56:15 AM IST

The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the capital's civic authorities, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to reward citizens who capture stray cattle at the rate of Rs.2,000 per animal.

A divisional bench comprising judges B.C. Patel and S.K. Kaul directed the MCD to deduct the reward amount from the salary of each of the veterinary officers posted in its 12 zones.

The court had Wednesday summoned the deputy commissioner of MCD's south zone when the counsel for the local body failed to satisfy the bench on the initiatives it had so far taken on catching stray cattle and sending them outside the city.

The bench further directed the MCD to later recover the reward amount from the owners of the cattle and repay the amount deducted from the salaries of the veterinary officers.

The court had in April given a one-week deadline to the MCD to clear the tens of thousands of stray cattle roaming the streets. But the menace continues. (IANS)

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http://in.news.yahoo.com/050805/32/5zm3m.html

Saturday August 6, 02:14 AM

Cash cow?

YOU DON'T have to be an animal rights militant to feel horrified at cruelty to animals. You don't have to be a civil society activist to object to rules that promote such cruelty by engendering greed and, consequently, thuggish conduct on the streets. You can be a worshipper of steak sirloin and still see why these will be the fallout of the Delhi High Court's - Chief Justice B.C. Patel and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul were on the bench - latest direction in the stray cattle case.

If any one can catch a stray cow and earn money, plenty will try. So, consider coming across this scene while you drive to office: A bunch of louts, dreaming of an easy two thousand bucks, is savagely beating a cow while, mostly futilely, trying to drag it along. They have no idea how to catch and subdue an animal of that size or any size. They are in it for money. They haven't been told that they can only get the money if they employ proper, humane techniques. They are probably people in whose dictionary the word 'humane' doesn't exist.

This is a city that frequently brutalises its decent citizens. What do you think will happen if the law incentivises brutality to animals? As I said, you don't need to care about animals at all. But just ask yourself whether, given a choice, you would want to witness a group of hoodlums at work on a helpless animal.

Indeed, and with all due respect to the judges, one has to ask why they didn't see this for themselves - only a few weeks back, in the same court case about stray cattle, the high court had upbraided the MCD for its callously cruel methods of catching stray cattle.

The MCD is an official body subject to rules and regulations. If municipal officials couldn't ensure that the animals were captured humanely, what will happen when the court-mandated free-for-all privatisation starts?

And what is to restrict enterprising thugs from bringing in cattle that are not strays on Delhi roads? How will the MCD distinguish between a city stray cow and one brought in from UP or Haryana? It can't and, therefore, it will be per force party to an illegality.

Neither can the MCD refuse old, diseased cattle - since the court's direction doesn't say only 'healthy' animals can be brought in.

But the MCD won't be able to sell these animals. That means auctioning - the court's solution to the municipality recovering the 'reward' - won't make up for the taxpayers' money that goes out. So, here is a legal direction that incentivises brutal behaviour, that puts a government body in an impossible position and that can end up wasting taxpayers' money - as I said, you don't have to like animals to see what is wrong with this.

One can only hope that when the court hears the matter again on August 17, it will take note of the implications. Civic affairs needn't be free of logic and basic compassion.

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Latest update was on Sunday, August 7, 2005

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=104382&cat=India


Cow-catching reward lands civic agency in soup

New Delhi | August 06, 2005 11:44:09 PM IST

Pushing, prodding and chasing stray cattle, scores of people, some astride scooters and motorbikes, turned some Delhi streets into virtual battlegrounds - landing the civic authorities in a comic mess.

The chaos started Friday, a day after a court order asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to pay Rs.2,000 out of the salaries of their veterinary officers for each stray cow brought in to the cattle pound.

The scene at the cattle pound of New Savitri Nagar in south Delhi is worsening with angry people demanding their money, which MCD had no means of shelling out immediately.

They were finally given vouchers, but only if they showed an identity proof.

Although residents insisted that dozens of cows were brought during Friday from all over the city, one MCD official insisted that only one bull and three cows were the day's catch.

Many people turned up on Saturday as well. Telephone authorities complained of being flooded with calls asking for the phone number of the pound.

"People do not understand. We have to create a post for monitoring the drive and we have to create a special fund to pay people," said the exasperated MCD spokesman.

The fund is to be created from a part of the salary of veterinary officers, whom the court held responsible for the persisting menace of stray cattle on New Delhi's roads.

The spokesman said the court had just passed the order and so the system was yet to be put in place.

"We have to receive the notice and work out the modalities. People may bring the cattle but we cannot give the money just like that. We need to find out whether they are genuinely stray," the official told IANS, adding the drive was confined to south Delhi now.

On Friday, people who thought catching a cow would be an easy way to make money ended up fighting it out.

Many of the cows were not quite ready to be led meekly to the pound, and some of the captured cattle went running all over amid the commotion.

One man found a particularly stubborn cow that was not prepared to give up without a fight. But despite being muddied - and a little bloodied - in the battle, the man refused to let go and rode his scooter while chasing more cows.

Civic officers chuckled that catching a cow was not as easy as it looked.

"Besides the effort of making the animal fall in with your plans to take it to the pound, you have to pay for the travel expenses, you have to furnish an endorsement from the residents' welfare association and a photo identity," said Pradip kumar, assistant veterinary surgeon, MCD south zone.

Residents' welfare associations have to certify that the animals being taken are indeed stray cows since, as civic officials point out, New Delhi has many cattle-owners among its citizens.

The cow is revered by millions of Hindus as a mother, thus allowing these animals to roam free on the roads, stopping traffic and occasionally going berserk.

There are an estimated 40,000 stray cows in the capital and they are as common a sight in the city as trucks, cars, buses and pedestrians.

The court had in April given a one-week deadline to the MCD to clear the tens of thousands of stray cattle roaming the streets. But the menace continues unabated.

-- (IANS)
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http://tbs.com/stories/story/0,,57409,00.html

Bounty-hunters snarl Delhi traffic catching cows Sat Aug 6, 4:33 AM ET

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A cash reward on the heads of New Delhi's stray cows has triggered road chaos in the Indian capital as bounty hunters on motorbikes compete to round up cattle roaming the streets, The Hindustan Times said on Saturday.

The Delhi High Court passed an order on Thursday instructing authorities to offer 2,000 rupees per cow -- an average Indian's monthly salary -- to rid the city of the traffic menace.

With cows sacred to Hindus, who make up the bulk of India's billion-plus population, an estimated 35,000 cows and buffalo roam free in the capital, sharing space with hordes of monkeys, camels and stray dogs.

Traffic routinely comes to a halt on highways to allow animals to amble across, leading to accidents.

The newspaper said stick-toting "cowboys" with motorbikes as their steeds were chasing cows all over the city and authorities were hard put to keep pace with the flood of strays being handed over to state shelters.

"There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2000 rupees is a lot of money. I will not rest till there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads," bus driver Chander Singh was quoted as saying.

Authorities were giving out receipts to be cashed in later.

The cows must be delivered alive, of course. Just a rumour that one has been mistreated can prompt revenge attacks by angry mobs.

Editor's Note: You got to catch these cows early, before they meet up with the other strays and start singing four part harmony outside your window.



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Reuters - Sat Aug 6, 3:39 AM ET A bull sits on a divider of a busy road in New Delhi July 12, 2005. Some 35,000 cows and buffaloes roam free in Delhi in the heart of north India's Hindu 'cow belt', sharing roads with hordes of monkeys, camels and stray dogs and killing scores of people every year in gorings and traffic accidents. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

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http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2005/August/subcontinent_August198.xml&section=subcontinent

Khaleej Times Online

Bounty-hunters snarl Delhi traffic catching cows (Reuters)

6 August 2005

NEW DELHI - A cash reward on the heads of New Delhi’s stray cows has triggered road chaos in the Indian capital as bounty hunters on motorbikes compete to round up cattle roaming the streets, The Hindustan Times said on Saturday.

The Delhi High Court passed an order on Thursday instructing authorities to offer 2,000 rupees ($46) per cow -- an average Indian’s monthly salary -- to rid the city of the traffic menace.

With cows sacred to Hindus, who make up the bulk of India’s billion-plus population, an estimated 35,000 cows and buffalo roam free in the capital, sharing space with hordes of monkeys, camels and stray dogs.

Traffic routinely comes to a halt on highways to allow animals to amble across, leading to accidents.

The newspaper said stick-toting “cowboys” with motorbikes as their steeds were chasing cows all over the city and authorities were hard put to keep pace with the flood of strays being handed over to state shelters.

“There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2000 rupees is a lot of money. I will not rest till there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads,” bus driver Chander Singh was quoted as saying.

Authorities were giving out receipts to be cashed in later.

The cows must be delivered alive, of course. Just a rumour that one has been mistreated can prompt revenge attacks by angry mobs.


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http://www.madasafish.com/news/tabloid_bespoke.asp?cat=quirky&aid=15018013

Cash cows

06/08/2005

The Indian authorities are offering residents in New Delhi cash in return for rounding up stray cattle roaming the capital’s streets.

The Delhi High Court has ruled that officials should offer successful “cowboys” 2,000 rupees for each cow captured.

The reward – the equivalent of a month’s average salary in India - has led to chaos on the streets as wannabe bounty hunters chase cattle around the city on motorbikes, the Hindustan Times reports.

The paper says the Indian authorities are struggling to keep up with the number of stray cows handed in to state shelters and are giving out receipts to those capturing the animals, which will later be exchanged for cash.

"There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2000 rupees is a lot of money.
I will not rest till there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads," bus driver Chander Singh told the newspaper.

Those in New Delhi wanting to catch a cow and claim some cash have plenty of the animals to chase after. An estimated 35,000 cows and buffalo roam free in the capital, causing routine havoc on the city’s roads.

© 1998-2005 DeHavilland Information Services plc. All rights reserved.

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http://hindustan.net/modules.php?name=AvantGo&file=print&sid=419

Desi Cowboys Galore In New Delhi

Date: Saturday, August 06 @ 11:31:05 EDT

Topic: Urban India

A cash reward on the heads of stray cows in New Delhi has triggered road chaos in the national capital.

The Delhi High Court had passed an order on Thursday instructing authorities to offer Rs 2,000 rupees per cow to get rid of New Delhi's traffic menace.

Desi cowboys with motorbikes as their steeds were reportedly chasing cows all over the city and authorities were hard put to keep pace with the flood of strays being handed over to state shelters.

There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2000 rupees is a lot of money. I will not rest till there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads,” bus driver Chander Singh was quoted as saying.

Authorities were giving out receipts to be cashed in later.

An estimated 35,000 cows and buffalo roam free in the capital, sharing space with hordes of monkeys, camels and stray dogs.

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http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/archive/August/06-08-2005.htm

Global Wrapup

Indian court offers $46 to catch stray cows

AFP, New Delhi

An Indian court, disgusted by the failure of New Delhi's municipality to rope in stray cattle, said Thursday it would now offer monetary rewards for the capture of the horned beasts.

High Court Chief Justice B. C. Patel and Judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul placed a bounty of 2,000 rupees (46.5 dollars) on the capture of each bull, saying the reward money would be raised by auctioning off the cattle. The bounty-hunting system would begin initially in New Delhi's Malviya Nagar district before being offered to residents in other parts of the city, court officials said.

Judge Kaul strongly criticised the municipality for failing to rope in the unclaimed cattle which are seen occupying New Delhi's streets and intersections even at rush hour.

"I myself counted 16 cows on the road while driving from Lady Sri Ram College to East of Kailash in the heart of the city," Kaul said. The judges also ordered the municipality to publish the telephone numbers of the officials it had charged with ridding the city of the unwanted cattle. Health officials, however, warned that the introduction of the bounty on the capture of bulls could lead to fresh problems.

"Our experts are extremely cautious in snaring these hefty street bulls and we shudder what can happen if ordinary citizens get ambitious and tries to take on any of these ill-tempered beasts," a senior municipal executive said.

In May, the high court had set a two-week deadline for the removal of an estimated 28,000 cattle wandering New Delhi but the municipal authorities said they needed more time to deal with the matter.

The municipality came under fire in April when a raging bull gored to death two women after charging an automobile. In two other attacks a child and a pedestrian were trampled by bulls, which also cause many road accidents.

The municipality complains that unregistered dairy farm owners release their herds after milking so that they can feed off the abundant litter in the city. Dozens of cattle perish daily after gorging on plastic, officials say.

The Town Hall auctions off captured cattle daily, with cows having holy status in India's predominant Hindu religion and the slaughter of the animals-symbols of fertility-banned in northern India.

The new owners are warned not to release them back in the city.

However, there have been no takers for captured bulls put on sale.

Brute force is applied to bring down wandering bulls and animal rights groups have threatened to take the municipality to court on charges of "extreme cruelty."

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http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/aug/07/07082005ap.htm#A4

Indians become cowboys to chase down stray cattle

AFP, NEW DELHI

Aug 6: A new breed of cowboy has taken to the streets of the Indian capital to chase down stray cattle and claim bounties for the thousands of bovines which have added to the city's traffic chaos. Groups of stick-wielding men have been herding cows and bulls into a New Delhi cattle pound since a high court said last Thursday they would get 2,000 rupees (46 dollars) for the delivery of each animal.

"There's no dearth of stray cattle," said one enthusiastic cattle herder, Chandan Singh, a bus driver who now rounds up the animals after his shift ends. "Two thousand rupees is a lot of money," he told The Hindustan Times. Round-ups on motorcycle and on foot are taking place in New Delhi's Malviya Nagar district and will extend to other parts of the city, officials say. In one instance, residents hired a truck and captured 10 cattle, the daily said.

The court ruling came after the city failed to heed an earlier court order to rope in the cattle which freely wander New Delhi's streets and intersections, seemingly oblivious to speeding trucks and cars. Cows have a holy status in mainly Hindu India and the slaughter of the animals, considered symbols of fertility, is banned in northern India. The captured cattle are supposed to be auctioned off and the new owners warned not to release them back in the city.

But city officials have warned that the bounty could lead to fresh problems as the animals can be extremely dangerous when upset. "Our experts are extremely cautious in snaring these hefty street bulls,

and we shudder (to think) what can happen if ordinary citizens get ambitious and try to take on any of these ill-tempered beasts," a senior city official said.

The high court set a two-week deadline last May for the city to remove an estimated 28,000 cattle roaming New Delhi's streets, but municipal authorities said they needed more time. The court swung into action earlier this year after a bull gored to death two women and charged an automobile. In two other attacks, a child and a pedestrian were trampled by bulls.

The cattle also cause many road accidents. "Bulls in our colony have damaged several cars," said one resident, Sandeep Sharma.The municipality complains that dairy farm owners release their herds after milking so that the animals can feed off the mounds of litter on city streets.

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http://story.indiagazette.com/p.x/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/c4f695672562cc9e/

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article304224.ece

Delhi court offers cowboys cash to round up strays

By Justin Huggler in Delhi

Published: 07 August 2005

Residents of Delhi who dream of being cowboys are about to get the chance in real life. Under a bizarre new scheme to round up the city's stray cattle, the Delhi High Court is offering a cash reward for anyone who brings a bovine to book.

They may be revered as holy in Hinduism, but in Delhi most people consider the stray cows a menace.

Anyone who has visited the Indian capital will have come across them. They roam the streets and lie down in the most inconsiderate places, including the middle of the city's ring road.

They are a frequent cause of accidents, as drivers swerve to avoid collisions. Cows that are clipped by passing rickshaws can turn aggressive, venting their confused anger on pedestrians.

Almost every year a round-up is ordered, to get them off the streets, and almost every year nothing happens. And the cows stay.

Finally, the Delhi High Court has lost patience with the city authorities, ordering rewards of 2,000 rupees (£26) for every cow that is caught. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) must pay the reward out of its own coffers, and recoup the expense by auctioning the captured cows.

That might not seem a lot of money in Western terms, but it is a handsome offer in a city where that amount is more than half a monthly wage.

"Since the civic authorities have not got any success in ridding the city from cattle, the citizens will have to be involved in this drive," the court said in passing the order. It also ordered the city veterinary officer and cattle catchers to give out their personal telephone numbers so citizens who capture cows can notify them.

The court was considering the case of the stray cattle after a petition by Common Cause, a local NGO.

But any Delhi citizen tempted to get hold of a lassoand head for the streets will have to consider the reaction he risks from the cattle's owners. Although the cows wander the streets like strays, many, in fact, have owners.

The owners take advantage of Hindu culture, in which no one will molest a cow wandering the streets, to graze their cows on Delhi's verges and rubbish dumps for free. It is widely suspected that the reason previous municipal schemes to round up the cattle have failed is because the owners have bribed the cow catchers.

That is probably why the court has ordered the cows to be auctioned off. Those who let their cattle stray will now risk losing ownership of them.

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http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=118837&Sn=WORL&IssueID=28140

Vol XXVIII NO. 140 Sunday 7th August 2005

For cattle-free streets!

NEW DELHI: A cash reward on the heads of New Delhi's stray cows has triggered road chaos in the Indian capital as bounty hunters on motorbikes compete to round up cattle roaming the streets. The Delhi High Court passed an order instructing authorities to offer 2,000 rupees ($46, BD17) per cow to rid the city of the traffic menace. A newspaper report said stick-toting "cowboys" with motorbikes as their steeds were chasing cows all over the city and authorities were hard put to keep pace with the flood of strays being handed over to state shelters.

"There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2,000 rupees is a lot of money. I will not rest till there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads," bus driver Chander Singh said.

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http://www.rantburg.com/index.php?HC=3&D=2005-08-07

Delhi court offers cowboys cash to round up stray cows

Residents of Delhi who dream of being cowboys are about to get the chance in real life. Under a bizarre new scheme to round up the city's stray cattle, the Delhi High Court is offering a cash reward for anyone who brings a bovine to book.

Finally, the Delhi High Court has lost patience with the city authorities, ordering rewards of 2,000 rupees (£26) for every cow that is caught. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) must pay the reward out of its own coffers, and recoup the expense by auctioning the captured cows.

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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10339625

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=301&ObjectID=10339625

New Delhi's sacred cows become fair game for motorbike musterers

08.08.05

By Justin Huggler

Residents of New Delhi who dream of being cowboys are getting the chance in real life. Under a bizarre new scheme to round up the city's stray cattle, the New Delhi High Court is offering a cash reward for anyone who brings a bovine to book.

The move has triggered road chaos in the Indian capital as bounty hunters on motorbikes compete to round up cattle.

They may be revered as holy in Hinduism, but in New Delhi most people consider the stray cows a menace.

Anyone who has visited the Indian capital will have come across them. They roam the streets and lie down in the most inconsiderate places, including the middle of the city's ring road. They are a frequent cause of accidents, as drivers swerve to avoid collisions.

Almost every year a round-up is ordered and almost every year nothing happens. Finally, the High Court has lost patience with the city authorities, ordering rewards of 2000 rupees ($65) for each cow caught.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (McD) must pay the reward, and recoup the expense by auctioning the captured cows.

It is a handsome offer in a city where that amount is more than half a monthly wage.

"Since the civic authorities have not got any success in ridding the city from cattle, the citizens will have to be involved in this drive," the court said in passing the order. It also ordered the city vet and cattle catchers to give out their personal telephone numbers so citizens who capture cows can notify them.

The Hindustan Times said stick-toting "cowboys" on motorbikes were chasing cows all over the city and authorities were hard put to keep pace with the flood of strays being handed over to state shelters.

"There is no dearth of stray cattle ... 2000 rupees is a lot of money. I will not rest until there is not a single cow or bull left on the roads," bus driver Chander Singh was quoted as saying.

But any New Delhi citizen tempted to get hold of a lasso and head for the streets will have to consider the reaction he risks from the cattle's owners. Although the cows wander the streets like strays, many, in fact, have owners.

The owners take advantage of Hindu culture, in which no one will molest a cow wandering the streets, to graze their animals on New Delhi's verges and rubbish dumps for free.

It is widely suspected that the reason previous municipal schemes to round up the cattle have failed is because the owners have bribed the cow catchers.

That is probably why the court has ordered the cows to be auctioned off. Those who let their cattle stray will now risk losing ownership of them.

- INDEPENDENT, additional reporting Reuters

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7242_1455535,00180007.htm

Capital's 'cowboys' dispirited without instant cash

Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, August 8, 2005

With the prospect of instant cash fading with each passing day, the public's enthusiasm to capture and hand over stray cattle to the civic authorities in the capital is waning.

Four days after a court ruling directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to reward citizens who capture stray cattle at the rate of Rs.2,000 per animal, the public's enthusiasm about the money seems to be waning as they realise there is no instant cash in the adventure.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed MCD to reward anyone who captured the stray animals and deduct the reward amount from the salary of veterinary officers posted in its 12 zones.

Currently the opportunity to make a quick Rs.2,000 is open only in the south Delhi area and will soon be available in other parts of the city.

Though some seven cattle - three cows, one calf and three bulls - had been captured by Saturday evening, officials said by Sunday public enthusiasm had waned as people realised they would not win the award immediately and would have to follow a typically long bureaucratic procedure for it.

In the wake of the court ruling, many an adventurous person took on the cowboy role in the city, herding the stubborn animals towards a cattle pound on bikes, cars and even military trucks.

"Even some army men brought three cows from the Delhi Cantonment area in their army vehicle on Saturday," said Radha Kishen, the MCD pound-keeper at the Malviya Nagar cattle pound in south Delhi.

"It was a comic situation. You could see to what extent people would go to earn a quick buck," he said.

Kishen said only vouchers were given to those who brought the animals. These vouchers can be exchanged for money only after the auction of the animals.

"I had a difficult time the first two days. But it has calmed down now. We gave out just vouchers and not the money. The money will come only after the auction," Kishen said.

"People took huge risks to capture the animals and then there was no money. Obviously their enthusiasm dampened."

As of now, the cows and calves will be taken to the cattle pound in Bhapola, the bulls would be sent to either the Najafgarh pound in west Delhi or Narela on the outskirts of the city.

But now the dairy or cattle owners are coming, Kishen said. Cattle owners lined up around the pound Monday afternoon looking for their animals.

The national capital has been reeling under the problem of stray cattle, estimated at around 40,000, which roam on the roads, stopping traffic and often harming people and property.

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http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=55&fArticleId=2830329

Bounty hunters round up New Delhi's cows

August 9, 2005

The long-running battle to round up stray cattle on the streets of New Delhi has intensified, with the city's high court offering a 2 000 rupee (£25) bounty to anyone who can catch a cow.

Within 24 hours, the streets were filled with amateur cowboys trying to catch some of the estimated 35 000 head of cattle roaming the capital.

The bounty was offered as a spur to the municipal authorities who have failed to tackle the problem. Municipal leaders, critics allege, are reluctant to rein in the cows because the "dairy dons'', or cattle mafia also control large vote-banks needed by politicians to retain their seats.

Newspapers published guides to catching cows, warning that lassoing was trickier than it looked in John Wayne films and advising that a tranquilliser gun was the only really sure method.

The cows, lounging on dual carriageways, blocking roads and parking spaces, can also be dangerous when frightened, trampling and goring at least four people to death this year.

With two cows captured and driven to the municipal pound yielding the equivalent of a month's salary, the warnings went unheeded.

Chandan Singh, a bus driver, tried his luck between shifts, dusting himself down after a calf knocked him to the ground. Bruised but unperturbed, he picked up his stick and charged off in pursuit of another beast.

"Two thousand rupees is a lot of money,'' he said. "I will not rest until not a single cow or bull is left on the roads.''

City records show that last year 34,000 animals were rounded up and yet the number visible on the streets never seems to fall.

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http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GH10Df02.html

South Asia

Aug 10, 2005

Delhi's cowboys ride urban range

By Siddharth Srivastava

NEW DELHI - Greed often scores over all else, including religion. The past few days India's capital city of New Delhi has been witness to a peculiar sight - cowboys (many on motorcycles) with lassos spanning the city to round up cattle. The Indian version of the Pamplona bull run or the American cattle roundup has begun following the announcement of a cash award of US$50 per cow caught, announced by the Delhi high court to rid the city of the traffic menace.

The court has been exhorting the Delhi government for some time to rid the roads of cows, but without much success. It is estimated that more than 50,000 cows and buffaloes inundate the roads along with hordes of monkeys, camels, pigs and stray dogs, causing traffic jams and accidents. Traffic routinely comes to a halt on highways to allow animals to walk, sleep, defecate and procreate. Animals are sometimes injured, with carcasses often remaining on the roads.

For years, foreign visitors to New Delhi never fail to comment on cows that roam Delhi roads freely. Several foreign dignitaries, businessmen, film stars, pop singers, sports people who have visited the country have said that they never expected to see cows on Indian roads, especially the national capital. Somehow, it does not fit into India's image as a global supplier of scientific manpower, including handling of computers and software.

Cows and buffaloes can be spotted everywhere - at the busy Ring Road, the Race Course Road where the prime minister lives and Shanti Path, which runs through the diplomatic enclave. They graze the lawns that crisscross the wide thoroughfares of India Gate and the Rashtrapati Bhavan where the president of India resides.

There has been an intelligence report that stray dogs that live next to the prime minister's residence are a potential hazard as they move in and out of the high-security zone, given their friendly access to the security guards. Any one of the dogs can be stitched up with a remote-controlled bomb. Fed up with stray dogs that bite, the government of the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh has introduced a shoot-to-kill policy for those canines running free. Meanwhile, raging bulls have gored several people to death in New Delhi.

The existence of cows in particular is the result of several factors - as Delhi has developed, several erstwhile villages have fallen in the ambit of metropolitan areas. Land that the cows and buffaloes once roamed freely to graze was converted to an urban landscape. Owners have no choice but to let their cattle out to fend for themselves. There are also several instances of cattle being left loose once they are old and useless.

One reason authorities in Delhi and several cities and towns in India have been unable to launch a crusade to rid themselves of vagabond cattle is religion. Cows remain a very touchy subject due to religious sentiments. The animal is revered by the Hindus, addressed as Gau Mata (meaning, the cow is like a mother). Indian history has several instances of Hindu-Muslim riots erupting over cows being slaughtered, sometimes deliberately to incite violence. Hindus do not eat cow meat, unlike lamb or chicken that is slaughtered. The latter are usually not seen on the streets.

But apart from religion there are other factors that complicate the task, not least the animal rights activists who make it a point to criticize any government action or inaction. Indians in general are animal lovers and often adopt several stray dogs and cows, putting up a stiff resistance to municipal authorities who try and remove them.

Further, Indians are notorious about flouting laws. Laws have been enacted against known infringements, as is the norm internationally. There are fines for noise pollution, littering, talking on the cell phone while driving, not wearing seat belts - even one against urinating in public, which was strengthened after a person was found easing his bladder on the wall of the house of the municipal commissioner of Delhi.

Some analysts have said that apart from a general lack of discipline, Indians break these minor laws as it gives them a sense of freedom, and doing what they want is in keeping with democratic traditions. It is often observed that Indians living abroad who follow rules by the book, change dramatically when in India, off-loading empty ice cream/pizza/cola packets even as they drive. Despite the existence of more than 250 free public urinals in New Delhi, most Indians prefer to relieve themselves on the roadside.

From time to time the authorities try and clamp down, but the task is huge given the population and cannot be sustained over a period of time. Nobody has yet been hauled up for urinating in public.

However, to the credit of the New Delhi authorities, they have found solutions to some of the other animal problems. A couple of langurs (bigger-sized white monkeys) are tied every day to the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the adjoining north and south blocks that house the main government (including the prime minister's and home minister's offices) as well as military offices. The langurs keep a check on the smaller Indian brown rhesus monkeys that are a menace in the area, biting government officials, running away with secret files and entering the inner precincts of offices and the president's quarters.

Another practice by government offices, especially at the income tax branch and the Delhi Development Authority (that deals with land allotment and development in the capital) has been to assiduously and officially cultivate cats. This is to keep away mice from nibbling on the reams of paperwork that have to be stored - in the face of slow computerization of government offices.

The latest order on cows with the attendant cash awards seems to have caught the imagination of the people and could also be a success. The response has been akin to hordes logging onto game shows, lucky dips and quiz contests with fabulous awards. But, a hitch has been reported as some have been buying cheap cows from anywhere to win the higher cash award. The authorities now insist that there should be some proof of where the cattle belong. Such paper work for stray animals is very difficult.

However, the court order on cows is a reflection of the systemic changes that are taking place in New Delhi in contrast to major cities such as Mumbai. With the unprecedented rains in Mumbai, the city has been under siege. But Delhi has changed in the past few years - roads have been ramped up, flyovers built, an underground metro constructed, buses put on clean fuel and illegal development of land curtailed. The difference between the two cities is that Delhi has its own elected government with elected mayors - just like the major cities of the world. Mumbai's interests (as also Bangalore in Karnataka or Chennai in Tamil Nadu) are diluted as the responsibility is with the government of the state.

India has a long way to go. Comparisons of Mumbai with Shanghai or Gurgaon with Singapore are quite far fetched. For now, it is back to the cowboys.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist.

(Copyright 2005 Asia Times Online Ltd. All rights reserved.

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http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?gid=48&id=316131

MCD-CATTLE

Cattle issue discussed by MCD committee

NEW DELHI, AUG 10 (PTI)

In the wake of Delhi High Court's recent order for action against illegal dairies in the capital, the MCD Standing Committee today directed its Commissioner Rakesh Mehta to approach the court seeking permission for households to keep one cattlehead.

The Standing Committee discussed the issue of stray cattle, with the Councillors unanimously expressing the view that households with a cow or buffalo for in-house consumption should not be considered a dairy.

"Following the Court order, there have been cases of people taking away or even stealing cows and buffalos from the homes," claimed Congress Councillor Ajit Chaudhary.

The Court had last week in an innovative order said denizens could catch stray cattle in South Delhi and take it to the MCD's cattle pound to earn Rs 2,000.

Farhad Suri of Congress said there was a need to seek clarification from the High Court on whether keeping a cow or buffalo at one's house to meet the family's own needs was akin to running an illegal dairy.

The Councillors also attacked the MCD Commissioner on the issue, saying no concerted efforts have been made to get rid of the problem of stray cattle, leading to the High Court to take a serious view of the situation.

"The MCD has failed miserably in tackling the problem. The root cause of the problem has not been looked at. And it also has to be examined if MCD has adequate staff and vehicles to rid the roads of stray cattle," said BJP Councillor Vijender Kumar Gupta. "We have to obey the court's order. But in view of the religious feelings involved in the issue, the Commissioner is directed to approach the court and seek permission for households to keep a cow or buffalo," said Standing Committee Chairman Mukesh Goyal.

Meanwhile, Mehta in his reply informed that since the Court order, to prevent cattle-catching from becoming a commercial activity, the MCD has decided that only those cattle that come accompanied with a certificate from an RWA in South Delhi will be accepted at the pound.
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http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=143440

Councillors seek 1-cow norm for households

Express News Service

New Delhi, August 10: A FEW days after the Delhi High Court ordered a reward of Rs.2,000 for every stray cow caught, the issue was today raised by MCD councillors in the Standing Committee Meeting. They opined that every household in Delhi, whether urban or rural, should be allowed to keep one cow. The councillors’ opinion was that there are ‘‘religious sentiments’’ attached to cows and that ‘‘it is part of our culture to revere the cow and pray to it.’’

Chairman of the Standing Committee, Mukesh Goel, said: ‘‘Even advanced countries like the US have now realised that there are health benefits attached to gau mootra (cow urine) and gobar (cow dung).’’ The Chairman has asked Commissioner MCD Rakesh Mehta to clarify this point at the next HC hearing. Mehta said that Delhi Police had been directed to use Section 133 (removal of nuisance) and six cases had already been filed in this regard.

Veterinary Officer S.K. Yadav, in-charge of cattle collecting drive said: ‘‘if every household is allowed to have one cow it will seriously affect our collections. The situation will worsen when people will claim that the cattle kept by them is for non-commercial purposes.’’

According to Mehta, most stray cattle on the roads comes from illegal dairies, many of them in urban areas. The MCD, he said, was implanting chips in animals auctioned off at the Baprola Cattle Pound. This information, he said, was being entered on a computer there. The original buyer would be fined Rs.10,000 if a cow thus sold was rounded up by the MCD.

The issue of cruelty to cattle was brought up by councillors. Councillor Farhad Suri said while it was not only a religious sentiment but also a ‘‘social” one that’s being hurt every time we see cattle being mistreated’’.

Cattle collected

From September 2003 to July 2005: 34,489

July 2005: 1,030

August 2005: Over 300

Capacity of Malviya Nagar Pound: 60 to 80 animals

Money earned from auctions (from January): Rs 60 lakh
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[halevi76]

"It was a comic situation. You could see to what extent people would go to earn a quick buck," he said.

Kishen said only vouchers were given to those who brought the animals. These vouchers can be exchanged for money only after the auction of the animals.
casino mac
"I had a difficult time the first two days. But it has calmed down now. We gave out just vouchers and not the money. The money will come only after the auction," Kishen said.

"People took huge risks to capture the animals and then there was no money. Obviously their enthusiasm dampened