Commission probing cow deaths in Chhattisgarh gets another extension
A judicial commission probing the deaths of around 200 cows in the three government-aided gau-shalas in Chhattisgarh gets an extension of three months.
Published: 02nd July 2018 05:25 PM | Last Updated: 02nd July 2018 05:25 PM | A+A A-
Image for representational purpose. In image: Carcass of cows rot inside the gau-shala owned by a senior BJP leader in Chhattisgarh. | Photo: lalluram.com (Special Arrangement)
RAIPUR: A judicial commission probing the deaths of around 200 cows in the three government-aided gau-shalas in Chhattisgarh gets an extension of three months.
A single-member commission headed by retired district and sessions judge AK Samant Ray was constituted by the state government following the death of several cows last year and was expected to submit its report within three months after the issuing of a gazette notification.
"The report hasn't been received so far.
The commission has been given an extension of another three months", Sunil Kujur, additional chief secretary (agriculture and animal husbandry) told the Express. The opposition Congress cited that the state government doesn't seems inclined that the facts be exposed and known to all. "Either the Raman Singh government doesn't let the inquiry happen or it uses the investigation as means to suppress or cover-up the issue being probed", alleged Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, the chairman of Congress media cell.
However, the officials cited that the commission is meticulously inquiring into the facts and evidences.
The stipulated terms of reference for the commission includes fixing responsibility for the incident, number of cows died and reason for deaths, whether such incident could have been averted, what measures should be taken for holistic management of cow-shelters to prevent recurrence of such incident, to examine the procedure of registration, grant and supervision of cow-shelters and what reforms could be taken to make it more effective and finally any other issues that the commission might deem relevant in public interest during the course of inquiry.
Officially 176 cows have died in three cow shelters in two districts of the state previous year in August, though the local villagers claimed the figures to be much higher.
Preliminary investigation had then found the cows were starved to death and remained neglected in the shelters maintained by a senior BJP leader who has been jailed.The Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Rajya Gau Seva Ayog (Chhattisgarh state cow service commission) Bisesar Patel affirmed that those found guilty will not be spared as the state is committed to ensure the best practices on cattle protection and preservation.
