New Delhi: Since April 22 this year, when the pilgrimage to four Himalayan shrines started, a total of 115 mules and horses used to ferry devotees on Char Dham and Hem Khund Sahib routes have died, The Times of India reported.
As many as 90 mules have died so far at Kedarnath, from where devotees trek 16 kms to reach a shrine. Similarly, 17 equines have died on the trek routes leading to the Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines in Uttarkashi. Another eight animals have died on the Badrinath and Hem Khund Sahib routes in the Chamoli district, data available from the Uttarakhand animal husbandry department revealed.
Taking serious note of the issue, the Uttarakhand high court has issued notices to the state government and authorities involved, seeking their response in two weeks’ time. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, who alleged that animals being used to ferry on pilgrimage routes are being overburdened.
Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice R.C. Khulbe of the high court also issued notices to district magistrates of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and other districts on the Char Dham yatra route.
Maulekhi, in her petition, said that more than 20,000 horses and mules are being used to carry passengers for pilgrimage in Uttarakhand. She claimed that most of these horses and mules are sick and are being burdened beyond their capacity.
It was further claimed in the PIL that neither a veterinary doctor nor proper fodder or water has been provided for these animals. The overcrowding of devotees has added extra pressure causing the death of animals, it said. The dead animals are thrown into rivers, thereby contaminating the water body, the petition alleged. The court will next hear the PIL on June 22.
Separately, on June 23, Maulekhi had also written to the state animal husbandry alleging that equine owners are flouting norms, and identified over-exploitation of animals, unattended injuries, and lack of treatment as factors behind the overwhelming number of deaths of animals. She had also drawn the attention of the authorities that equine owners were flouting high court directives issued by the courts in the Gauri Maulekhi vs state of Uttarakhand and Urvashi Shobhna Kachri vs Union of India & Ors cases. Maulekhi had also moved the court last year, which prompted the high court to issue directions to the state government to list measures it had taken to protect equines.
According to Maulekhi, daily health checks are not being done on equines at Gaurikund, horses are not being rescued after complaints, narcotics are being used on animals, among others.
Meanwhile, director of the animal husbandry department, Dr. Prem Kumar, told TOI that “norms are being followed strictly to curb violence on animals”. “Our teams are working round the clock on the Yatra route and instant cases are being registered against violators. A total of 212 mule owners have been issued challans. So far, FIRs have been registered against 15 offenders,” he said.
He also went on to add that in the last two months, 26,500 equines underwent health check-ups, of which 3,600 underwent a proper course of treatment and 800 animals were stopped from being deployed on the Yatra routes. According to estimates, around 300 animals had died last year during the Char Dham Yatra.
