Margao (Goa): BJP’s coalition partner Goa Forward Party today criticized the union government’s notification on the sale of cattle for slaughtering claiming that “it would bring penury to farmers, meat traders, leather and hospitality industry.”

“I am not happy with the new rules. The new rules can bring penury amongst farmers, meat traders, leather and hospitality industry,” GFP leader and State Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai told reporters.

The minister, however, was quick enough to add that “this is opinion of Goa Forward party and should not be considered as state of the government.”

He said the rules were formulated haphazardly.

The Centre recently banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter. The environment ministry notified the stringent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Sardesai said that the notification will not affect Goa in particular as it is governing the sale of cattle through the yards, which are not existing in the State.

He ruled out that the notification has resulted in beef shortage in the state but instead blamed the market forces for trying to take advantage of the situation.

“One there is beef shortage in Goa and another day there is enough of supply. There is a possibility that some market forces are playing a role in it,” he commented.

Sardesai said the angle of market forces playing a role in creating beef shortage to hike the prices of the commodity should also be investigated. “Someone is trying to increase the rate of beef in the guise of recent developments,” he said.

Goa had feared the shortage of beef in the state after union government’s recent notification controlling the sale of cattle for slaughtering.

The meat selling community had said that it has affected the supplies but State run Goa Meat Complex Limited (GMCL) had ruled out any such crisis.

Team TNV