Shillong, June 12: The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in the special session adopted the government resolution to oppose to the notification issued by the Government of India in the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change Vide G.S.R.494 dated 23rd May 2017 has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017. Which suffer from serious shortcoming and infirmities having adverse impact on the economy and culture of the state of Meghalaya.
The Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma while bring this government resolution to oppose the notification of the central Government said that the above rules travel way beyond the scope and object that is “to prevent infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering on animals” as set out in the preamble of the prevention of cruelty to Animals Act. 1960, that infringing upon the right of the state, to regulate items enlisted in the state list of VII schedule to the constitution of India.
The subject such as Agricultural, Animals husbandry including cattle market, are cover under itmes 14,15, and 28 of the list II of VII schedule of the constitution of India, over which the state alone have the exclusive jurisdiction to legislate upon. The rules are in contravention of section 38 as they go beyond the scope of the central Act and also contrivance section 28 of the said Act which contemplate the killing of certain animlas subject to the provisions of the Cattle prevention Act.
Rule 8 of these rules prohibits organizing of Animals market in place which is situated within 25 Kms from any state border or which is situated within 50 KMs from the International Border a state like Meghalaya where is the place for having a market for cattle.
The Chief Minister said that the demand for beef across the state in Meghalaya is 23634 MT and the production from the state is only 12834 MT and the rest is imported from outside the state. To balance the demand and supply of beef the state has come out with the ‘Meghalaya State Livestock Mission for the year 2017-2022 to meet the increasing demand on meet across the state.
The Chief Minister said that this will hamper to the socio economic, cultural and religious right of the people of the state guaranteed in the constitution of India under Article 21 and Article 26. The Chief Minister urged upon the august house to take strong note of the aforementioned shortcoming and infirmities in the rules, as notified and resolved that the same may be withdraw by the Government of India with immediate effect, so as to maintain the Federal and Secular character of the Constitution or be face with the situation where law prohibits some activity while everyday- life practice is on large scale, due to hash economic realities’, a situation, surly to be avoided at all cost said Dr Mukul Chief Minister of Meghalaya while moving the official resolution today in the floor of the August House.
Others members who take part in the resolution, are Mr Ardent Basaiawmoit, KP Pangniang, Witting Mawsor of the HSPDP, Mr James KP Sangma of the NPP, Mr Paul Lyngdoh, Dr Jemino Mawthoh, Mr Embhah Syiemlieh, Mr T Chyne of the UDP, Dr DD Lapang, Mr Rowell Lyngdoh of the Congress, Mr John Lesley K Sangma, Mr Saleng A Sangma Ind.
