The Government has moved to undo the harm the ban on the sale of cattle in animal fairs and otherwise did on the economic life of the farming community in general and the meat exporters in particular. The rules framed last year under the Prevention of Criminality to Animals Act were such that these virtually led to a ban in trade in bulls, buffaloes, camels, etc.
Farmers were hit hard since they felt obliged to keep animals which had grown old or had ceased to be of any use. As a result, the number of strays roaming around arose enormously. Besides, keeping old and barren cows in itself became a huge headache for farmers, especially when there were no gaushalas where these could be left. Exporters of buffalo meat suffered due to the ban, while innocent people often found themselves preyed upon while walking their own cattle to fields or farms. All this is likely to change, after the authorities realised that its obsessive love of gaumata was hurting the gaubhakts the most who were saddled with old and unproductive animals. Slaughter of cows is banned throughout the country. But other animals, especially buffaloes and bulls, were a source of protein for the poor. Besides, their exports were a huge foreign exchange earner. It is time to get sensible on these things, instead of living in the past.
