Camel smuggling still unchecked, 700 rescued in one year

Even as the incidents of camel smuggling rise in Rajasthan, the Animal Welfare Board of India on Wednesday said that despite the strict legal provisions, the state government could not curb the camel smuggling.

In the past one year, more than 700 camels have been saved from being illegally slaughtered in faroff southern and eastern states of the country such as Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka and Assam, transported back and rehabilitated to their natural habitat in Rajasthan, said the board officials.

“In the past few years, camels have been smuggled out of their natural desert habitat in Rajasthan, in and across the country for their meat. This is in complete disregard of Rajasthani sentiments. Illegal camel trade flourishes, especially along the West Bengal border across which our camels are sent for slaughter to Bangladesh,” said Sudershan Kaushik, honorary animal welfare officer, Animal Welfare Board of India.

Speaking to the media, Kaushik said the flourishing smuggling business generates crores of black money every year and funds cross border terrorism, posing a threat to national security.

Another honorary animal welfare officer, Kirti Sachdeva said camels have been declared as an endangered species by the Rajasthan government.

It was for the preservation of the dying breed of the state’s beloved animal that the Rajasthan Camels (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) Act, 2015, was introduced, making export of camels for slaughter a cognisable and non-bailable offence. Despite this, the smuggling of camels is increasing. The board has asked the state home minister to appoint a nodal officer for monitoring the efforts and prevent smuggling. Sachdeva said most of the camels are procured in the cattle fairs organised in the state, which are later sent to West Bengal.

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