Jammu, April 10 – Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered the formation of a high-level committee to draft comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) for regulating the transport of bovine animals across the union territory.
According to an order issued by the General Administration department, the committee will examine existing laws and frameworks and prepare detailed SOPs governing bovine transport by vehicle as well as on foot.
The panel will also lay down documentation and verification protocols, including permits and health certificates, to be checked during inspections by enforcement agencies.
It has also been tasked with recommending measures to ensure animal welfare during transportation, strengthening coordination among departments, and framing standard procedures to curb illegal transport while ensuring smooth movement of lawful consignments.
The committee will also suggest the use of technology-driven solutions to improve transparency and efficiency in monitoring bovine transport across the union territory.
The formation of the committee to draft the SOPs for bovine animal transport had become necessary as the number of attacks by cow protection groups on people transporting bovine animals for breeding and dairy purposes has increased in Jammu and Kashmir.
These attacks occur because those transporting bovine animals for breeding and dairy purposes are mistaken for those involved in cow slaughter.
Once the SOPs are drafted, the legitimate transport of bovine animals would become possible without any risk involved.
Once legitimate and bona fide transport of bovine animals becomes possible, the police would provide protection to such people while they carry proper permission to transport their livestock.
Currently, there is a lot of confusion in this regard since the permission issued by authorities in one district is not respected by authorities in the other district.
It should be mentioned that nomadic shepherds called ‘Bakarwals’ move from the Jammu division to Kashmir and vice versa each year to graze their cattle and herds of sheep and goats. The SOPs regarding the transport of bovine animals would be useful for hundreds of such nomadic families whose livelihood depends on tending their cattle, etc.
