Rules on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) to ensure welfare of Animals & Protect Animals from Cruelty: Environment Ministry
On, 23rd of May, 2017, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified new rules on Prevention of cruelty to animals and banned the trade of cattle for the purpose of slaughter in the animal market.
The Draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 was notified on 16th January, 2017 inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected by it within 30 days. 13 representations were received regarding the concerned rules and all the suggestions made by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the Gauri Maulekhi v. Union of India and others case were all the incorporated in the same. They were duly examined and incorporated, wherever found suitable. The rules were finally notified on 23rd May, 2017.
Some of the features of the new rules are as under:
- The basic purpose of the Rule is to ensure welfare of the animals in the cattle market and ensure adequate facilities for housing, feeding, feed storage area, water supply, water troughs, ramps, enclosures for sick animals, veterinary care and proper drainage etc.
- A District Animal Market Monitoring Committee shall be constituted for the registration of animal market and a Animal Market Committee at the local authority level for management of the markets.
- That no person shall bring a cattle to an animal market unless upon arrival he has furnished a written
declaration signed by the owner of the cattle or his duly authorised agent stating that the cattle has not been brought to market for sale for slaughter - Where an animal has been sold and before its removal from the animal market, the Animal Market
Committee shall take an undertaking that the animals are bought for agriculture purposes and not for slaughter. - Rule 22 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 also prohibits a purchaser of cattle from selling the same for the purpose of slaughter and for religious sacrifice.
The prime focus of the regulation is to protect the animals from cruelty and not to regulate the existing trade in cattle for slaughter houses. It is envisaged that welfare of cattle dealt in the market will be ensured and that only healthy animals are traded for agriculture purposes for the benefits of the farmers.
Click here for the press release.
Click here to read the full notification.
Source: The Indian Express & The Hindu
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