With an aim to prevent cruelty against cattle, the Union Environment Ministry has banned their sale and purchase at animal markets for slaughter purpose.
As per gazette notification, titled Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 by the Ministry, no one can bring cattle to an animal market unless s/he has furnished a written declaration that the cattle will not be sold for slaughter but is only for agriculture purpose.
Further, upon sale of cattle, the animal market committee will take an “undertaking” that the animals are for agricultural purposes and not for slaughter.
The move is expected to hurt export and the domestic trade in beef and buffalo meat. India is one of the largest exporters of buffalo meat, selling $4 billion worth of beef in the 2015-16 fiscal year.
“Aim of the rules is very specific: to regulate animal markets and sale of cattle. Sellers and buyers have to ensure that cattle are not brought or sold in the market for slaughter,” said Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
According to the notification, the member secretary of an animal market committee will have to ensure that no person brings a young animal for sale.
“No person shall bring cattle to an animal market unless upon arrival he has furnished a written declaration signed by the owner — stating his name and address, with a copy of the photo identification proof.” The notification has described the “animal market” as a market place or sale-yard to which animals are brought from other places and exposed for sale or auction and includes any area adjoining a market or a slaughterhouse.
As per the notification, cattle mean “a bovine animal including bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers, calves and camels.
The market committees will have to check the buyers’ bonafide and keep records of the sale. The records should be preserved for six months, said the Government notification issued this week.
It also prohibited practices that are cruel to animals, including painting of horns and putting ornaments or decorative materials on them.
The new rules also prohibit establishment of an animal market in a place, which is situated within 25 km from any State border and within 50 km from any International Border.
These also bar people from lifting an animal off the ground, other than poultry for weighing propose, dragging it along the ground, suspending it clear of the ground or tie up or muzzle any calf among others.
According to the notification, the member secretary of an animal market committee will have to ensure that no person brings a young animal to the animal market.
The new rule also says cattle buyers cannot sell the animals outside the State without permission.
If the District Animal Market Monitoring Committee, suo moto or on receipt of a complaint, comes to the conclusion that an animal market is functioning in contravention of these rules, it may direct the cancellation of registration of such market after giving reasonable opportunity of being heard, as per the rules.
To be implemented in the next three months, the move introduces lots of paperwork for cow traders who are mostly poor and illiterate. For instance, before the trade, both seller and buyer will have to produce identity and farmland ownership documents.
In fact, any persons intend to adopt a seized animal from infirmary or animal welfare organisatiosn will have to furnish undertaking that the animal will be utilised for agricultural purposes and not slaughter.
A senior official said that the notification aims to protect animal rights. “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.
“Hence, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of livestock Markets) Rules, 2017. It prohibits the sale of animals for slaughter through the livestock markets so that animals for slaughter could be sought directly from farms, thus ensuring traceability and food safety,” said a senior Environment Ministry official.
He clarified that the rules are applicable only on cattle and do not cover other areas like direct purchase from the farms.