Goa govt to write to Centre against cattle notification

Panaji: The Goa government has decided to write to the Centre raising certain objections to the recent notification banning the sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter, as it has created "apprehensions" in the minds of local people, a state minister said on Saturday.

Talking to reporters, state Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said, "I have discussed the issue with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and he said he will write to the Centre."

"The state government is going raise certain objections and suggest some corrections to the notification on the Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animal Act," he said.

The notification has created apprehensions in the minds of Goans, who fear that the government wants to turn everyone into vegetarian, he said adding, "A significant section of people in Goa eats beef and there is a doubt in the minds of people that needs to be cleared."

According to Sardesai, the union minister concerned has also spoken to Parrikar and asked him to write about the objections to the notification.

The Centre recently banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter. The environment ministry notified the stringent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Sardesai said, "Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has already made a statement that the government is ready to tweak the rules to remove apprehension in the minds of the people. We, as Goa Forward party, are giving a note to the CM."

The minister clarified that Goa does not come under the ambit of these rules. "We don't have a yard where animal is sold. But since there are inter-state ramifications, there is an effect is on Goa," he said.

Presently, the cattle for slaughter is brought to Goa from neighbouring Karnataka.

Sardesai said that his personal stand was that it (notification) would cause penury among the farmers and affect the hospitality industry, "which is the backbone of our economy".

"Now since the government is going to write to the Centre on our stand with regards to the rule, I assure every section of the Goan society that they need not worry," he added.

Talking about the suggestions to be written to the Centre over the notification, he said the government might give specifically give some points.

"The notification talks of milk and draft animal. When draft animal becomes old, you have to kill it. They have spoken about all sorts of animals, including chicken and goats, which means people will have to turn vegetarian," he said.