BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) to file an affidavit recording the steps it will take to implement the recommendations made by the inspector nominated by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the order after the submission by the senior counsel, representing BTC, that they have identified 200 out of 887 horses that can be shifted to another place where better stables are available. Steps have also been taken to remove the asbestos sheets from stables at the BTC in a phased manner, the counsel submitted.
The BTC’s submission came in response to the order passed by the court on the last date of hearing. The report recommended that all stables with asbestos roofing must be removed immediately as asbestos can be harmful to horses. The inspector has suggested that a time frame of two racing seasons can be provided to the BTC to construct the stables. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).