Expressing concern over the growing illegal transportation and slaughtering of cows in the State, the BJP on Friday urged the State Government to bring amendments to the existing laws to make them more stringent with strong punishment provisions against those involved in the business.
Addressing a news conference, BJP State president KV Singh Deo along with MlA Pratap Sarangi demanded stopping of all kinds of transportation and slaughter of cows and buffalos in the State. Singh Deo advised the Government to set up a national park for cows for their rehabilitation in the models of Madhya Pradesh. The park should be provided with medical facilities and fodders, he said.
They lamented that the Odisha Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1960, the Odisha Cruelty to Animals Act, the Animal Transportation Act, the Motor Vehicle Act and a number of direction are only being implemented in their breaches.
Everyday, lakhs of cows are being transported to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal for killing in the abattoirs by unscrupulous transporters in collusion with the police, who on their part use to harass those opposing the transportation by filing false cases against them.
They warned that if the trend is not stopped, the cattle population, particularly of cows, would be lost forever and people would not get milk.
Sarangi demanded that the police take strong action against the illegal transportation of cows, free government lands be provided to those willing to set up Go-halas, fodder at Re 1 to Go-Shalas and farmers