Almost after two years of the Bombay High Court (HC) banning the Victoria carriages in the city, the state government yesterday informed it that a sub-committee appointed to decide on the rehabilitation of carriage owners has submitted a policy, which would soon be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval
Almost after two years of the Bombay High Court (HC) banning the Victoria carriages in the city, the state government yesterday informed it that a sub-committee appointed to decide on the rehabilitation of carriage owners has submitted a policy, which would soon be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval. The HC directed the government to consider providing auto and taxi permits to the Victoria owners.
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Banned long back
A bench of justices VM Kanade and AS Gadkari was hearing a petition filed by NGOs Animals and Birds Charitable Trust and PETA alleging cruelty to horses. The HC had banned the carriages in June 2015.
On Thursday, Purnima Kantharia appearing for the state told the bench that the sub-committee had conducted a meeting on March 10 and submitted a rehabilitation policy, which talks about providing alternative employment opportunities to the Victoria owners.
Amendments possible?
The bench also asked the government to think whether it was possible to make certain amendments in the policies and continue using Victorias for joyrides in order to attract tourists.
More time
In the last hearing, the state had said a committee had been set up to decide on the rehabilitation policy, but only two hearings had taken place. It had heard only 221 affected people then, and hence, needed more time to formulate the policy.