SHILLONG, May 9: The issuance of transit permits (TPs) by the state government to legitimate cattle traders for transporting the animal from outside the Northeast through Assam seemed to have encouraged the cattle smugglers.
Principal Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department, GHP Raju on Monday said the department received information about the detection of scanned copies of TPs. This is a criminal offence, he said.
Some butcher groups, who recently met the Minister of the department, Sanbor Shullai and other officials, had complained to the Minister about extortion at the check gates but he asked for proof.
It was learnt the Director-General of Police has instructed all Superintendents of Police to ensure that nothing illegal takes place at any of the check gates.
Dismissing the allegation of Khasi Jaintia Butchers’ Association (KJBA) that the state government is indirectly supporting the BJP’s agenda by not finding a solution to the crisis of beef, Shullai said the government has already written to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking his intervention to facilitate hassle-free transportation of legitimate cattle.
“Fifty-three applications were received so far for TPs and 370 TPs have been issued to genuine local traders, dairy cooperative societies and others. Altogether 173 TPs were also renewed. Therefore, the allegation of not getting TPs is denied,” Shullai said.
According to him, the department has not received any complaints from the traders regarding hurdles faced in Assam while transporting cattle. If the traders, who possess TPs issued by the Meghalaya government, face any problem, they can seek legal remedy or submit their compliant to the department for intervention, he said.
Raju said the department has notified livestock and poultry check posts at six entry points for frisking of vehicles carrying cattle and verification of TPs in order to prevent the unauthorised transportation of cattle and detect the smuggling of cattle.
The check posts are being set up at Umling entry point, Jirang, Umkiang, Bajengdoba, Tikrikilla and Aradonga. The one at Umling has been made operational.
Meanwhile, to address the concerns of cattle smuggling, the state government will soon hold a meeting with the Assam government as well as with the Border Security Force and the state police.
Official sources said the price of beef has gone up mostly due to illegal transportation of cattle. The government is working on different programmes to make the state self-sufficient in beef production.
