The Odisha government has decided to strictly enforce cow slaughter prevention act with directions issued in this regard to the district authorities across the State.

The government is committed to prevent cow slaughter and the district authorities have been directed to initiate instant action in the event incidents of cow slaughter are reported in their respective areas, Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik said during his visit to Govardhan Peeth Goshala in Puri.

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To provide shelter to cows on the streets, the State Government has decided to rope in NGOs to build cow sheds to protect the stray cows from falling prey to cattle smuggling rackets, he said.

The Minister also informed that the Kamadhenu scheme, earmarked to increase cattle population, has received positive response by over 30,000 applications on the Go Sugam portal.

The scheme offers subsidies for cow sheds, up to Rs 52 lakh, and Rs 2,000 per cow for those who raise them. Additionally, a subsidy is provided for grass cultivation, he said, adding that the government has also decided to build 200 cow sheds at an estimated budget of Rs 9 crore.

Meanwhile the State Government is contemplating to amend the Odisha Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1960, with an objective to make it realistic with focus to reduce cruelty to animals,

The Act was enacted in 1960 to prohibit and prevent the slaughter of cows and their progeny, officials of animal husbandry department said.

The cattle from the State are mostly transported to West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The districts like Keonjhar, Jajpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput are the major transit points for cattle-laden trucks.

Stringent law remains in force in the State. But the police who allegedly act hand in glove with the smugglers often turn flat in enforcing the legal provisions.

Orissa Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1960 and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animal on Foot) Rules-2001 are hardly complied with by law-enforcing agencies.

It’s pertinent to note here that the Animal Welfare Board of India had asked the State to establish police check posts at strategic locations and smuggling-prone spots of the inter-state border to curb the cattle smuggling.

However the cattle smuggling goes unabated with police check posts exclusively to keep tabs on smugglers functioning on paper only.