Laws to ban cattle slaughter soon

Uditha KUMARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Livestock Development Minister R.M.C.B. Ratnayake told Parliament yesterday the Government will impose strict rules and regulations to prevent cattle slaughter through the Animals (Amendment) Bill.

"It is miserable to think that over 450,000 head of cattle have been slaughtered in 2007," the Minister said.

"The Bill was brought to protect local cattle and increase the milk production by curtailing the drain of foreign exchange to other countries for milk powder imports," he said. "We have today succumbed to a very low level by eating the flesh of cattle which provide the best nourishment to us through cows' milk," Minister Ratnayake said.

The Government has already paid its attention to amend the law which is presently insufficient to stop the illegal slaughter and transport of cattle. Earlier, when a person is found guilty of stealing cattle, the fine imposed was only Rs. 250, the Minister said.

"We took measures to increase the penalty upto Rs. 50,000," he said.

"Giving priority to increase local milk production which is a major pledge of the Mahinda Chintana, we have been able to increase production from 15 per cent to 27 per cent now," the Minister said.

"In order to make a healthy nation, schoolchildren will also be provided with a glass of milk," he said. "Although the country was self-sufficient in milk earlier the dairy industry collapsed with the commencement of milk powder imports in the '70s," he noted."We have spent nearly US$ 13 million to import around 60,000 mt of milk powder to the country," the Minister said. With the Government's decision on providing incentives to local dairy farmers, the industry is being revived."

The Government will recruit 200 veterinary surgeons to be attached to Provincial Councils. Animal Protection Centres will also be set up to look after the safety of cattle, he said.

The Government is in the process of introducing an insurance scheme for cattle and its owners, Minister Ratnayake said. The milk farmer villages program will be enhanced to boost the industry. "We will take measures to popularise fresh milk consumption by expanding the milk sales outlets network across the country," he said.