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Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: On the last day of the Gujarat Assembly session, the state government has introduced the Gujarat Cattle Control in urban areas Bill 2022. to bring a permanent solution to the problem of stray cattle in the areas including the metropolis in Gujarat.
However, Maldhari (Pastoralists) community has vehemently opposed the bill. Maldhari Ekta Samiti president Nagji Desai was detained by the police ahead of a protest on Thursday.
According to the new bill, the registration and tagging of animals will be made mandatory in municipal areas.
The cattle breeders will have to secure a license to keep cattle in urban areas. Pastoralists will be liable to obtain a license within 90 days of the new law coming into force. All livestock kept by breeders will have to be tagged within 15 days of receiving their licenses.
If any ‘tagged’ animal is caught wandering around, its owner will be charged with a criminal offense. To investigate the case, the local authorities will appoint a licensed inspector.
ALSO READ | Maldhari community opposes bill on stray cattle, threatens to disrupt milk supply across Gujarat
After the bill was passed in the assembly, the entire Maldhari community of Gujarat, including Saurashtra, has threatened a fierce agitation and to cut off milk supply across Gujarat in the coming days.
Nagji Desai said, “First government should find out why cattle come on the road? In the name of urbanization, the government had earlier given cattle grazing land to its industrialists. Now the government says that even grass fodder is not allowed in the city, what about the animals? What do they eat? Plastic and garbage only? Secondly, if the government has a budget, it should first allocate open plots for cattle so that the cattle can get fodder. the government will have to make arrangements. The government should think before making a law.”
“We also have problems when cattle harm someone on public roads, but we have to make arrangements for it, these will not be solved by law, Gujarat has a population of over 60 lakh Maldharis. The government has betrayed the entire Maldhari community by bringing this bill. From tomorrow till the government withdraws this bill, there will be agitation in the whole state against the government. If the government does not take back the law, we will boycott upcoming polls,” said Nagji Desai.
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