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working as draught animals. It was stated that their sustainment was not in the interest of general public, and if even this was prohibited, it would amount to unreasonable restriction by State on the Fundamental Right of trade of butchers etc.
110. It may be noted that at that time such a large scale killings for export purposes could not have been envisioned nor in those days there was any legal concern of environment preservation or welfare of animal kingdom, except on the moral, religious or ethical choices. At that time, Compassion as a legal value to protect and serve the most deserving aged animals, who once served to their best, could not have been urged in answer to the plea of butchers that after animals have served the purpose of man, these could be eliminated. It is interesting to note that Hon'blo Supreme Court in 1958, also referred to practice to pass-off the useful cattle for premature slaughtering by greasing the palms of Veterinary Officers, or by maiming the animal by breaking its Horns etc. to show it up as useless. Supreme Court mentioned various other reasons. To quote from the Judgement :
"The growth of cities and heavy demand for milk in the urban areas have contributed to the slaughter of good stock. For want of space no freshly calved animal can be brought in without getting rid of once that had gone dry. Salvages facilities not being available or, if available being uneconomical, the professional gowalas, who are mostly. , if not wholly. Hindus, find it uneconomical to maintain the cow after she goes dry and consequently sell her to the butcher for slaughter at Rs. 30 to Rs. 50 per head, irrespective of her age and polential productivity, and import a fresh cow. The veneration professed or the sanctity attached to the cow does not prevent them from doing so. In big towns the Municipal Regulations are stringent and slaughter is premitted only of unserviceable and unproductive animals. Instances are not uncommon, however, that to got an animal passed for slaughter the teeth or the rings round the horns of the animal ara tampered with an sometimes a cow is even maimed in order that she may be passed by the veterinary inspector as fit for slaughter. Cows, which are rejected by the inspector are taken out of the limits of the cities and slaughtered in the rural areas. As slaughter is not confied to registered slaughter houses, the number of useful animals which are slaughtered cannot be given accurately. It is estimated in the Report of the Expert Committee at P.2 that at least 50.000 high yielding cows and she-buffaloes from cities of Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras alone are sent annually for premature slaughter and are lost to the country".
111. Now, it is easy to understand that whenever, a killing comes to be linked to the earning or livelihood there will always be a motive to surreptiously increase the earning, by resorting to unpermitted killings. What was being done by poor butchers to increase the earnings, is today replaced and magnified manytimes by organised Meat Industry for export. It is not difficult to appreciate that when there is full-pledged Corporate Industry to export meat, and there are export commitments, how long and why will this industry wait for availability of an aged or useless animal to arrive? How will economic ambitions and needs of the business will keep pace with the slow process of aging to make the livestock of no use any longer.
112. If only useless animals alone are to be slaughtered how does one explain the Meat Industry's lament over social prejudices, and culture in coming to the levels of World Trade figures and Comparison to show that this Industry in India lacks behind. In my view, emperically it is thus established beyond any shadow of doubt that only by slaughter of the young. capable and strong buffaloes or other cattie irrespective of their age, the Meat Industry can sustain.
113 High profits yields of the export market will always be a governing consideraton to keep-up with foreign market needs and demands. In fact a visit to the animal markets outside slaughter
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