Shillong, April 5: The president of Garo Hills Youth Organisation, Nazmul Hashan has sought the intervention of West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh regarding the illegal cattle smuggling throughout the plains of West Garo Hills.
Illegal cattle transportation is in full swing violating the relevant Acts like Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules ,2001 and other relevant Acts for the protection of animals, he said in a letter to the DC on April 4.
“The transpiration of cows is taking place without fulfilling the rules laid down in the relevant Acts from Tikrikilla to Hallidayganj(Panbari) and the cattle are coming from Assam to Tikrikilla area and from Tikrikilla to Hallidayganj via the cattle tax collection gates set up at Tikrikilla, Nidanpur, Chibinang, Phulbari, Koylaghat,Gudibala,Rajpur, New Bhaitbari-Hallidayganj and other areas.
He wanted to know how the illegal transportation can take place through all the cattle tax collection entry points .
“Are the cattle tax collection entry points collecting tax from the illegal transporters ? If so , the cattle tax collection entry points should be closed if they are not complied with the rules and regulations laid down in the various Acts of cattle transport and its protection”, Hashan said.
According to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules, 2001, cattle transportation on foot is prohibited before sunrise and after sunset but most of the cattle are being illegally transported on foot from Assam to Tikrikilla area and from Tikrikilla to Singimari (Hallidayganj/Panbari), West Garo Hills, crossing over all the cattle tax entry points which are maintained by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council(GHADC), he said.
He also pointed out that on many occasions, the cattle are transported in vehicles in inhuman conditions.
If the cattle tax collection entry points are illegally collecting money from the illegal cattle transporters, then the cattle tax collection entry points should immediately be closed along with the illegal cattle transportation as per the relevant laws, Hashan said.
