S.K.SAHOO,J. - (1.)This writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is in the nature of a Public Interest Litigation in which prayer has been made for a direction to the district administration of Kalahandi district to stop slaughter of animals/birds in 'Chatar Yatra' at Bhawanipatna on the public road/public places and also to appoint an efficient judicial officer as observer for protection of fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution of India during such festival.
(2.)It is the case of the petitioner that she is a social activist and always fights for the well being and development of the general public at large and she is more concerned for the overall development of the downtrodden people of the society. It is her case that in the name of traditional religious custom and rituals, cruelty is being caused to the animals and birds by mass butchery in public places during 'Chatar Yatra' festival every year and she sought for appropriate direction in the matter for stoppage of such illegal and superstitious animals and birds sacrifice. It is her further case that the authority concerned who are to look into the matter for stoppage of such animal brutality are not paying any heed to the request of the petitioner. It is her case that in the year 2016, in public places such animals and birds were sacrificed during 'Chatar Yatra'.
(3.)According to the petitioner, Article 21 of the Constitution is violated which assures every citizen of India to live with dignity as it is hit by forcefully watching and feeling the pain of slaughter of thousands of animals and birds on the public road during the festival. It is her further case that both physical and mental health of the women, child, school and college going teenaged students are affected by such hazardous activities. It is further stated that inaction of the district administration of Bhawanipatna in stopping the butchery has compelled her to approach this Court on a number of occasions and even though some directions have been passed in that respect to check such activities but no fruitful result came out for which she has approached this Court again.