Selling of Cows for Slaughter, Banned By the Centre
The Ministry of Environment and Forests on 26th May 2017 notified new rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, for banning the sale of cows and buffaloes for the purpose of slaughter at animal markets across various states in India.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFC), allows only farmland owners to trade at animal markets.
The Centre has also notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2017 which will cover bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves, as well as the camel trade. They also require anyone purchasing cattle to provide an undertaking that the animals are bought for agricultural purposes and not slaughter.
Now, before the trade, both seller and buyer will have to produce identity and farmland ownership documents. After buying a cow, a trader must provide of proof of sale and submit them at the local revenue office, animal market committee,the local veterinary doctor in the district of the purchaser.
The Rules further provide for constitution of a District Animal Market Monitoring Committee, which shall be headed by a Magistrate, for the purpose of regulation of animal markets in the district. The local authority is then directed to make a list of animal markets that were functional, prior to the commencement of the rules. Further, the rules have ban setting up of animal markets within 25 km of a state border and 50 km of an international border. Also, taking any animal outside the State will require special approval of the State Government nominee.
The Rules go on to prohibit several cruel and harmful practices like:
- bishoping in horses and ear cutting in buffaloes,
- animal identification methods such as hot branding and cold branding,
- casting animals on hard ground without adequate bedding,
- shearing and painting of horns, and
- use of any chemicals or colors on body parts of animals.
Further, the person in charge of an animal shall ensure that the animal is not caused injury or unnecessary pain or suffering.