Now, a UID for cows to curb cattle trafficking on border

The Centre on Monday informed the SC that it is evolving a mechanism wherein a Unique Identification Number would be given to animals.
For representational purpose
For representational purpose

NEW DELHI: To prevent the trafficking of cattle across the Indo-Bangla border, the Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it is evolving a mechanism wherein a Unique Identification Number (UID) would be given to animals.

The Central government’s submission came after the committee, which had been set up following the court’s direction, stated in its report that, “Tamper-proof identification of cattle by using polyurethane tags and a State-level database may be uploaded on a website which may be linked with a national online database.”

“The Ministry of Agriculture, the government of India, has devised a method of tamper-proof identification of cattle using polyurethane tags with a Unique Identification Number sequence. This may be made mandatory for all cows and their progeny throughout India for all cattle that is owned.”

“Already mass tagging of cattle for insurance purpose is being done by livestock development boards and Animal Husbandry Departments of State governments,” it said, adding that each animal has to be tagged with a Unique Identification Number with proper records of details like age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar will hear the public interest litigation filed by Akhil Bharat Krishi Gosewa Sangh on Tuesday.

Another plea was filed by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi, seeking direction to the Centre and states like Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, which share the border with Nepal.

During the brief hearing, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that the government has considered recommendations of the committee and the court may now pass directions based on them to states as the issue fell under the state list of the Constitution.

The issue before the apex court also included concern over smuggling of cattle to Nepal for being sacrificed at the Gadhimai festival.

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