THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre’s controversial order imposing restrictions on the sale of cattle will throw the state’s animal husbandry and dairy sectors into disarray, said Animal Husbandry Minister K Raju.
The order is unconstitutional as it infringes upon the domain of the states, he told reporters here on Wednesday. Section 11 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, does not prevent the slaughter of animals for food, said Raju.
“The new rule contradicts the parent law. It also violates Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution which provides the citizens with the right to live and practice any profession or trade,” the minister said. Dairy schemes of the state requires import of high-yield cattle from outside the state. The rules will have an adverse impact on such activities, he said.
Approximately 1.2 lakh cattle are brought into Kerala every year, said Animal Husbandry secretary Anil Xavier. The department is also preparing a report on the likely impacts of the new rule on the state’s animal husbandry and dairy sectors, he said. The department is working towards increasing the annual milk production in the state from 27 lakh tonnes to 31 lakh tonnes.
World Milk Day Celebrations
Governor P Sathasivam will inaugurate the World Milk Day celebrations at the Tagore Centenary Hall in T’Puram, at 10.30 am on Thursday. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran will deliver the keynote address.
14 pc rise in milk production
The dairy sector largely escaped the vagaries of the drought this year. Milk production during April and May went up by 8.2 pc and 14 pc respectively compared to the corresponding months in 2016.