Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 3: The District Administration here has issued instructions to prevent illegal transportation of bovine animals such as cows, buffaloes, oxen, bulls, calves, etc. in and out of District Jammu.
In accordance with a Government order and Additional District Magistrate (ADM) office order issued today, the ADM Jammu has ordered that no dera/group with bovines be allowed to leave their temporary/permanent place of camping/residence without valid written permission from the concerned Territorial Tehsildar and SHO.
The officer further ordered the Assistant Commissioner General, Jammu and Superintendent of Police (Traffic) to ensure that a maximum of only 50 bovine animals are allowed to be transported in one batch at one time to prevent traffic snarls and jamming on NH/roads.
“Each Zonal SP, SDPO and SHO will be responsible for checking and stopping unauthorized transportation of bovine animals in and out of their jurisdiction on foot or through vehicles. Each checkpoint will be alerted and activated immediately to ensure compliance,” ordered the ADM Jammu.
He also ordered that the Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Jammu, in association with concerned SDMs/ACR, shall prepare an inventory of various deras of transhumance residing permanently/temporarily in different areas of Jammu and share it with Assistant Commissioner General, Jammu for information and necessary action.
“Chief Animal Husbandry Officer will ensure that before issuing medical/fitness certificate for transportation, each cattle belonging to the said dera is tagged and vaccinated,” ordered the ADM Jammu.
He further ordered that all rules and guidelines under Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960 read with Transportation of Animals Rules 1978; Transport of Animals on foot (Amendment Rules) 2001, have to be complied with by anyone transporting cattle from one place to another.
“These measures have been taken to ensure the safety and well-being of animals and prevent illegal transportation of bovine animals in and out of District Jammu,” read an order issued by ADM Jammu.
Meanwhile, hailing the order, Devinder Kour, who runs an NGO “Save Animals, Value Environment”, and Kushal Sharma, who heads an organisation “Gau Rakshak” in Jammu, have further demanded that similar directives are issued and implemented in other districts of the UT as well.
They also demanded that the animals already transported to the upper reaches of Jammu by the smugglers in the guise of “cattle rearing” be counted properly to ensure that they’re not used for any other purposes.