Centre proposes rules to prevent cruelty to animals
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has proposed rules to prevent animal cruelty. The draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals) Rules, 2016, include procedures on how to take care of animals seized by the authorities. Every year, thousands of cattle from India are smuggled into Nepal for sacrifice and into Bangladesh for slaughter. But animals seized by the security forces are either returned to the accused pending litigation, or auctioned, defeating the exercise's purpose. On the other hand, the draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets Rules), 2016, bans any kind of cruelty to animals at cattle fairs organised across the country. Both rules are being framed in compliance with Supreme Court directions.