Chief minister Arjun Munda addresses the workshop on Adivasi Development Programme in Ranchi. Picture by Prashant Mitra.

Ranchi, April 10: The government has finally woken up to the rampant smuggling of milch cattle for slaughter. It has decided to entrust a department with the task of handling the “sensitive issue”.

Minister of state in chief minister’s secretariat Sudarshan Bhagat, who is also in-charge of the animal husbandry department, today said smuggling and slaughter of milch cattle had assumed alarming proportions and the government was determined to put an end to it.

The problem is two-fold: smuggling of milch cattle, including cows and the open sale of beef in different parts of Jharkhand, including Ranchi. Every state has to frame its own rules banning cow slaughter, but the Jharkhand government has failed to address the issue.

Milch cattle from the state are smuggled to Bangladesh, mainly from the Gumla-Lohardaga areas, besides some pockets of the Santhal Parganas division.

The anti-cow slaughter lobby, led by Go Vansh Rakshan Parishad, has been urging the government to enact a legislation, banning cow slaughter. The parishad maintains that slaughter of cows, oxen and buffaloes has adversely affected the village economy of the state.

Animal husbandry secretary A.K. Sarkar said his department had not been entrusted with the task of checking cattle smuggling and cow slaughter.

“Our brief extends only to improving the breed of cattle and enhancing their productivity. The smuggling of cattle is a law and order matter to be dealt with by the administration,” he said.

But when the minister said the problem was serious, the secretary promised he would prepare a proposal for identifying the department that will deal with the matter. “A policy decision needs to be made on the matter. So we will write to the government so that a final decision is arrived at,” Sarkar said.

The minister, however, evaded queries if his department was ready to take the responsibility of “protecting animal lives and ensuring their welfare”. Bhagat, who represents Gumla in the Assembly, said: “I have first-hand information on the smuggling of milch cattle. I will soon act to end the problem.”

An office-bearer of the Go Vansh Rakshan Parishad said: “We have petitioned the authorities on the slaughter of cows but to no avail. The Constitution calls for checking cow slaughter. It is not just a religious issue because it affects the rural economy.”