CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered removal of about 500 black pigs reared by two individuals in a residential area at the Selakkarichal village in Coimbatore district.
Rearing of pigs causes deadly Japanese Encephalitis (brain fever), swine flu, et cetera. Pig is an agent that spreads virus from animal to human beings. The official respondents have to ensure that unlicensed pigs that were grown, are removed within a week and file the status report to the Registrar-General, Justice S Vaidyanathan has said.
The judge was allowing a writ petition from G Balasubramaniam who was praying for a directive to the Coimbatore district administration to take necessary steps to remove unlicensed black pigs from the two individuals by invoking the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Licensing of Pigs and Destruction of Unlicensed or Infected Pigs) Rules.
Earlier, special government pleader S Diwakar told the judge that on September 29 last itself, the Assistant Director of Rural Development (Panchayats) had directed the authorities concerned and the duo to remove the unlicensed black pigs and construct a shed in the outer area from the village, failing which action would be taken against them. Unfortunately, the same has not been carried out, he said.
The judge noted that in terms of rules, licence or permission should be obtained for doing pig business and the authority by notice shall require a person to remove the pigs within the time stipulated in the notice.
According to petitioners, the duo have no licence and even assuming that they have licence, they have no business to carry on the pig business, as it causes health hazard to any one, much less the residents.
The duo have also not entered appearance to contend that they are having valid licence and periodically renewed. There was a communication on three occasions to them stating they had no licence for rearing pigs in the place in question.
In a similar case, a division bench of this court on October 23 last had held that official respondents are under obligation to see that no pig sty/pigpen are maintained without any proper licence and the authorities should follow up the matter and monitor the same regularly.
If any health hazard or disease outbreak on account of the unregulated growth of pig and piglets and slaughtering for food purposes is noted, the authorities will be held for the consequences and cause, the judge pointed out.