INDIA GREENS PARTY
Press Statement on draft Livestock and Livestock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill, 2023.
Issued at iGP NHO at Greendham Anandi-Chait, Unchir-Dunktok, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand on 21 June 2023.
The India Greens Party (iGP) today welcomed the Government of India’s decision to withdraw the draft Livestock and Livestock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill, 2023 today.
If passed, it could have paved the way for the promotion of export of live animals.
On June 7, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) dropped the draft Livestock and Livestock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill, 2023, and invited suggestions/objections till Saturday.
But ever since the draft has been made public, majority of animal lovers and activists are opposing the Bill, resulting in #SayNoToLiveStockBill2023 trending on Twitter.
The proposed Bill allowed the import and export of live animals in India. This has infuriated many, who took to social media on Saturday to demand that the bills be withdrawn because it could lead to animal cruelty. The addition of canines and felines to the livestock list has also been opposed by activists.
The Livestock Importation Act of 1898 currently governs the upkeep of the nation’s bio-security by stopping the entry of diseases through the import of live animals and livestock products.
The Livestock and Livestock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill, 2023, is a ‘re-enactment’ of the current Livestock Importation Act, 1898, and the Livestock Importation (Amendment) Act of 2001. In the clause, government has added a clause of ‘power to make arrangements for promotion and development of exports of livestock and livestock products’. And people who love cats, dogs and cows are opposing it for including them in the livestock list of exports.
“The Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, being the pre-constitutional / pre-independence Central Act, a need has been felt to align it with the contemporary requirements and prevailing circumstances related to sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, and its extant Allocation of Business Rules, 1961,” the official order said.
The Department of Animal Husbandry’s role, the order added, primarily pertains to offering support through upgraded livestock health facilities, hygiene etc., including animal welfare for the overall development of the animal husbandry sector. However, it added, that during consultation, it was felt more time was needed to understand the proposed draft and allow for further comments or suggestions.
Representations had been made expressing concerns over the proposed draft. These involved matters of sensitivity towards and emotions for animal welfare, hence the Bill would need wider consultation, the order said.
The Bill had drawn strong objections from animal rights activists, right-wing groups and Jain religious leaders who demanded it be withdrawn for various reasons.
The India Greens party said in a statement that this bill would have detrimental consequences for animal welfare if the government moved ahead with it. The party believes that it is everyone’s moral obligation to protect and treat animals with compassion.
The transportation of live animals over long distances, often under cramped and unsanitary conditions, inflicts significant distress and suffering on these innocent beings. Numerous reports and investigations have exposed instances of overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, and a lack of access to proper food, water, and medical care during transportation. Such treatment is not only morally wrong but also poses a serious risk to the physical and mental well-being of animals.
Furthermore, the live export industry raises serious concerns regarding disease transmission and biosecurity. The transportation of animals across borders significantly increases the potential for the spread of infectious diseases, endangering both animal and human health. Past incidents have demonstrated the link between the live export trade and outbreaks of diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza. It is crucial that we prioritize the well-being and safety of our communities by avoiding practices that expose us to unnecessary risks.
–Issued by the iGP Chief Spokesperson Suresh Nautiyal.
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(India Greens Party is registered with the Election Commission of India under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Registration Number: 56/476/2018-19/PPS-I, effective from 18/07/2019.)
National Head Office: GreenDham AnandiChait, IndraBalbhadra Parisar, Unchir-Dunktok, SH-31, PO-Ghurdauri, Distt-Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, INDIA. PIN-246194.
Email: contact@indiagreensparty.org Website: https://indiagreensparty.org
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