Centre notifies bill to put ban on cattle slaughter

Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said the ministry has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 to ensure that the sale of cattle is not meant for slaughter purposes.

"Aim of the rules is very specific. It is only to regulate the animal market and the sale of cattle in these markets, and ensuring welfare of cattle dealt in market. And the rule provides for a strict animal monitoring committee and an animal market committee at the local level," Vardhan told ANI.

He said the seller and buyer both have to ensure that the cattle is not been bought or sold in the market for slaughter purposes.

"An undertaking to this effect has to be given to the member secretary of the animal market committee from the seller as well as the buyer," Vardhan added.

As per the notification, cattle is defined as "bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves and camels".

The rules also state that the purchaser shall not sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose, or sell it to a person outside the state without permission and must keep in with the state's cattle protection laws.