Meghalaya sends letter to Assam on "contentious" issues in Cattle Preservation Act, 2021

The Assam government passed the act last month in order to legally regulate the slaughter, consumption, and transportation of cattle. The law will forbid the sale of beef in areas that are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and other non-beef-eating religious communities, or within 5 kilometres radius of the religious institutions of such communities. 

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SHILLONG:

Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Sanbor Shullai informed the Assembly on Thursday that the Government of Meghalaya has sent a letter to the Assam government over several contentious issues relating to the Cattle Protection Act, 2021.

The Assam government passed the act last month in order to legally regulate the slaughter, consumption, and transportation of cattle. The law will forbid the sale of beef in areas that are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and other non-beef-eating religious communities, or within 5 kilometres radius of the religious institutions of such communities. 

The law also introduced guidelines for slaughter of cattle and transport, and any offence under the legislation will be cognisable and non-bailable, with a penalty varying from not less than three years of imprisonment or a fine between Rs. 3-5lakh, or both.

More relevant to Meghalaya, where beef is consumed as a staple meat, the law will prohibit the transport of cattle without appropriate license, and all transport of bovine to outside the state of Assam will be subject to active monitoring.

Regarding this stipulation, Shullai said that the Government of Meghalaya, in its letter to the neighbour, included matters involving the issuance of permits subject to payment by the Assam government and inability of local traders to procure milch cows for business, among others.

In response to a supplementary query raised by Mawsynram legislator Hima Shangpliang, Shullai promised on “a future course of action” should the Assam government refuse to respond to the letter.

Earlier, replying to a starred question raised by North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, Shullai said that, as of September 9, 2021, no transit passes were issued by the department for transportation of cattle into the state.

While admitting that the act will affect Meghalaya, Shullai said the department will soon issue transit passes to legitimate traders in order to allow business to continue.

He also informed that, as per information received from retail beef traders and consumers, the price of beef in the market has increased. However, the department is yet to receive any proposal to cap the price of beef.

"Many schemes to promote cattle rearing in the state have been prepared by the department,” Shullai said, however stating that they are all pending for consideration.

Reacting to concerns raised by Shangpliang on rampant cattle smuggling along the Indo–Bangladesh border, the minister said, "Stress was laid on the need to increase and intensify checking at several points and maintenance of a cordial relationship between the state authorities and [Border Security Force]."

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