MLA’s urge CM to stop cattle trafficking

BHUBANESWAR: MLAs of the State have urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to stop illegal cattle trafficking from the State as it affects 40 lakh farmers who depends on cattle for agriculture work. They also suggested the Government to bring some reformation in the animals act to check the trafficking.

The MLAs like Pratap Sarangi, Anup Kumar Sai, Amar Prasad Satpathy, RCC Patnaik, Bhagirathy Badjena, Hrushikesh Nayak, Hitesh Kumar Bagarti and others said the mafias are illegally trafficking thousands of cattle daily to other States as a result the price of cattle is increasing in home market which affects 95 per cent of farmers in the State who depends on cattle for agriculture work. Most of the farmers will loss livelihood due the illegal trafficking, they added.

They alleged that the police are not taking action against the traffickers, even the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is not helping to check the illegal cattle export. To solve the problem, the Government should bring reform in the act and auction the seized cattle within seven days of rescue with the help of local veterinary doctors, they suggested.

The MLAs also suggested the Government should make a provision to provide 20 per cent of the auction money as reward to the person or organisation and the Government employees for nabbing the cattle loaded vehicle. Money should be provided for cattle food and to the labourers who will take care of the cattle till auction, they added.