Recently, the Uttarakhand HC issued notices to the district panchayats of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and other regions in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) highlighting the alarming deaths of horses and mules along the Chardham Yatra route.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, took up the matter following a petition by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi and social worker Ajay Gautam.

The plea revealed that over 600 horses have perished during the pilgrimage so far, raising concerns about potential disease outbreaks in the area. The petitioners emphasized the need for medical facilities for the animals, akin to those provided for humans.

They also called for regulating the number of devotees based on the carrying capacity of the horses and mules, citing a shortage of food and shelter due to the growing crowd