Punjab govt launches drive to prevent cruelty to animals

The Punjab Government has initiated a concerted drive to prevent cruelty against milch-cattle and other livestock especially during their transportation, besides effectively executing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Taking stock of progress in this regard in the maiden meeting of Animal Welfare Board, Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike issued directions to the authorities concerned to expedite the drive against cruelty to animals.
He said that the Act should be implemented in its true spirit to prevent cruelty especially while transportation of milch-cattle and other livestock.
The Minister also directed Additional Chief Secretary Mandeep Singh Sandhu to form a committee for this purpose and on his directions surprise raids should be conducted to check the lapses during transportation of livestock.

He said the committee would also ensure that the norms regarding number of animals to be carried in a single truck should not be violated.
The Minister, according to an official release here, also advocated the need to launch a sensitisation and awareness drive to prevent livestock from cruelty.

He said that special programmes, seminars, conferences should be held under district level societies formed for prevention of cruelty to animals.
It was also informed in the meeting that the establishment of cattle pond to curb the menace of stray animals were in progress.
It was further informed that 76 cases were registered in 2014 under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act out of which 49 were under investigation while 153 offenders were arrested whereas five were convicted. The hearing in 21 cases was pending.