Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today lauded the government’s move to ban sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets.
Mrs Gandhi, who is also an animal rights activist said, animal markets were started for farmers so that they could sell their cattle to other farmers. But since last 15 years it has become only for butchers who pretend to be farmers and purchase cattle from the market.
She said these butchers buy 80 to 90 heads of cattle and carry it in their trucks and eventually slaughter them.
Mrs Gandhi said, ailing and unhealthy cattle also reach the markets but the new rule will ensure that such things don’t happen.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 on 25 May, banning the sale and purchase bof cattle from animal markets for slaughter.