May 27 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)
Centre bans sale of cattle for slaughter at animal
markets
Vishwa Mohan
|
New Delhi
|
Move In Line With BJP's Pledge To `Protect Cow & Its Progeny'
In a move amounting to a virtual ban on unregulated trade of cattle, the Centre on Friday announced strict rules to prohibit sale of animals for slaughter or religious sacrifice at livestock markets and animal fairs that are a common occurrence in rural areas.The animals under purview are cows, bulls, bullocks, buffaloes, steers, heifers, cal 12 ves and camels. The official reasoning advanced is that the order is intended to end uncontrolled and unregulated animal trade. The rules won't apply to goats and sheep, often sacrificed during Id.
Apart from the stated objective of curbing unregulated trade, mixing of milch animals with older, less healthy beasts meant for slaughter, the Centre's move has clear political overtones in keeping with BJP's pledge to “protect“ the cow and its progeny .
The rules are in line with BJP's emphasis on shutting down illegal slaughterhouses during the UP poll and the views expressed by senior leaders calling for the promotion of “cattle wealth“ rather than the meat trade.
Meat export organisations have protested the move saying it was sudden and arbitrary and will affect a business that is already taking a hit over the actions of BJP governments that have discouraged the trade.
Activists welcomed the step taken in the wake of Su preme Court's directions for regulation of livestock markets. “We commend the ministry for their vision and their efforts to protect the most vulnerable animals, be it animals used as reproductive machines for breeding or animals that are cruelly sold off at unregulated markets,“ said Gauri Maulekhi, trustee at People for Animals (PFA).
With the onus being on cattle owners to certify that cattle will not be sold for slaughter or sacrifice, the trade in animals will be more regulated, said officials.
The rules will bring in new norms for the functioning of well-known livestock markets or annual cattle fairs like the ones at Sonepur (Bihar) and Pushkar (Rajasthan) or in other states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Animals for slaughter can now be bought directly from farms -a move which is expected to not only ensure traceability and food safety standards but also weed out middlemen between farmers and slaughterhouses, and increase the income of farmers who rear such animals for trade.
New rules have, however, not banned sale of such animals for agriculture purposes or milk. But it can be done only through regulated livestock markets which will have to adhere to safety standards and certain do's and don'ts to avoid cruelty against the animals.
The rules, notified by the ministry of environment, will have to be implemented within three months across the country including in states like Kerala which allow cow slaughter. Though issues relating to cow slaughter come under states' purview in terms of making law and framing rules, the new central rules are notified under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960 that gives the Centre powers over animal welfare.
“The rules intend to promote the concept of `farm to fork', which revolves around traceability of food products through the supply chain. Due to the present system of open markets that allow trade of both milch and slaughter animals, and multiple buyers and sellers, it becomes impossible to trace an animal back to its farm of origin“, said N G Jayasimha, managing director of the Humane Society International, In dia, who was part of the drafting committee of the `regulation of livestock market rules'.
The rules also provide for setting up a district-level authority to enforce animal protection laws on the ground including those against illegal slaughter.As part of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, it provides for constitution of animal market committees for management of animal markets in the district. Under the rules, no animal market will be allowed in a place that is within 25km from any state border or within 50km from any international border. Besides, unfit animals, pregnant animals, animals who have not been vaccinated and animals under six months of age cannot be displayed or sold at any of the cattle markets anywhere in the country .
Since the rules include buffaloes in their definition of cattle, big traders and exporters will initially feel the heat in procuring the animals for meat. But the regulation of slaughterhouses and closure of illegal ones will, claims the government, bring consistency of supply and ensure food safety standard. India is currently a major buffalo meat exporting country which grew from `3,533 crore in 2007-08 to`26,685 crore in 2015-16.
“The three-month time given for implementing these rules will be sufficient to regulate the practice. After all, the specific provisions will only apply to animals in livestock market and animal seized as case properties. The legal slaughterhouses can directly procure animals from farms,“ said an official.
Apart from the stated objective of curbing unregulated trade, mixing of milch animals with older, less healthy beasts meant for slaughter, the Centre's move has clear political overtones in keeping with BJP's pledge to “protect“ the cow and its progeny .
The rules are in line with BJP's emphasis on shutting down illegal slaughterhouses during the UP poll and the views expressed by senior leaders calling for the promotion of “cattle wealth“ rather than the meat trade.
Meat export organisations have protested the move saying it was sudden and arbitrary and will affect a business that is already taking a hit over the actions of BJP governments that have discouraged the trade.
Activists welcomed the step taken in the wake of Su preme Court's directions for regulation of livestock markets. “We commend the ministry for their vision and their efforts to protect the most vulnerable animals, be it animals used as reproductive machines for breeding or animals that are cruelly sold off at unregulated markets,“ said Gauri Maulekhi, trustee at People for Animals (PFA).
With the onus being on cattle owners to certify that cattle will not be sold for slaughter or sacrifice, the trade in animals will be more regulated, said officials.
The rules will bring in new norms for the functioning of well-known livestock markets or annual cattle fairs like the ones at Sonepur (Bihar) and Pushkar (Rajasthan) or in other states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Animals for slaughter can now be bought directly from farms -a move which is expected to not only ensure traceability and food safety standards but also weed out middlemen between farmers and slaughterhouses, and increase the income of farmers who rear such animals for trade.
New rules have, however, not banned sale of such animals for agriculture purposes or milk. But it can be done only through regulated livestock markets which will have to adhere to safety standards and certain do's and don'ts to avoid cruelty against the animals.
The rules, notified by the ministry of environment, will have to be implemented within three months across the country including in states like Kerala which allow cow slaughter. Though issues relating to cow slaughter come under states' purview in terms of making law and framing rules, the new central rules are notified under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960 that gives the Centre powers over animal welfare.
“The rules intend to promote the concept of `farm to fork', which revolves around traceability of food products through the supply chain. Due to the present system of open markets that allow trade of both milch and slaughter animals, and multiple buyers and sellers, it becomes impossible to trace an animal back to its farm of origin“, said N G Jayasimha, managing director of the Humane Society International, In dia, who was part of the drafting committee of the `regulation of livestock market rules'.
The rules also provide for setting up a district-level authority to enforce animal protection laws on the ground including those against illegal slaughter.As part of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, it provides for constitution of animal market committees for management of animal markets in the district. Under the rules, no animal market will be allowed in a place that is within 25km from any state border or within 50km from any international border. Besides, unfit animals, pregnant animals, animals who have not been vaccinated and animals under six months of age cannot be displayed or sold at any of the cattle markets anywhere in the country .
Since the rules include buffaloes in their definition of cattle, big traders and exporters will initially feel the heat in procuring the animals for meat. But the regulation of slaughterhouses and closure of illegal ones will, claims the government, bring consistency of supply and ensure food safety standard. India is currently a major buffalo meat exporting country which grew from `3,533 crore in 2007-08 to`26,685 crore in 2015-16.
“The three-month time given for implementing these rules will be sufficient to regulate the practice. After all, the specific provisions will only apply to animals in livestock market and animal seized as case properties. The legal slaughterhouses can directly procure animals from farms,“ said an official.
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