The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday issued notice to the Agriculture Ministry calling for response on a plea seeking nationwide ban on slaughter of indigenous breed of cattle.
A Bench headed by Justice UD Salvi sought response from the Ministry by October 30.
The direction came in the wake of hearing a petition filed by Ashwini Kumar, advocate and environmental activist, who approached the NGT against the looming threat of extinction of indigenous breeds of cattle in the country.
Kumar in his petition claimed that there is a sharp decline in the population of indigenous cow across the country. He contended that Indian cattle were being replaced across the country by exotic and cross-bred cows imported from Europe, Australia and the US. The petition has sought directions from NGT to take necessary steps for ensuring that indigenous breeds of cattle are not slaughtered.
“Even developed countries are taking steps to preserve diversity in livestock and taking steps to preserve and conserve their domestic livestock species. However, the Government authorities at the national, State, and local levels were silent spectators to this destruction,” the plea contended.
Kumar further added that indigenous breed of cattle had better resistance against disease and could adapt better to erratic changes of weather.
The plea called upon the direct respondents to take necessary steps to ensure milch cattle of indigenous breeds are not slaughtered; and take steps to carry out research in improving their milk yield without resorting to cross-breeding.
Earlier, the NGT had come down against slaughterhouses in Ghaziabad, Hapur and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh operating in the open. The Bench said that only such slaughter houses will be allowed to function that obtain the necessary consent from State pollution control board, municipality and other local authorities.