Udupi: Acharya defends new cattle Bill

The Hindu

• Government wants to provide meat at reasonable prices: Minister
• Rs. 10 crore set aside for Sheep Development Board, says Sadananda Gowda

Udupi: Home Minister V.S. Acharya said on Saturday that the proposed anti-cow slaughter Bill was in consonance with the Constitution. He was speaking after inaugurating the Udupi District Mutton Merchants Association here.

Dr. Acharya said that the slaughter of cows was affecting the sentiments of a large number of people and led to unsavoury incidents.

The provisions of the new Bill had been drafted after studying similar Acts that were in force in some States and also various judgments of High Courts and the Supreme Court.

He said the State Government wanted to provide meat at reasonable prices to non-vegetarians. It was essential to impose certain hygienic conditions on slaughterhouses. The Government and the Udupi City Municipal Council would consider the association’s demand for a new slaughterhouse, Dr. Acharya said.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MP, said that a large number of people consumed non-vegetarian food. However, a fairly good number of people consumed non-vegetarian food on the sly.

The State Government had allocated Rs. 10 crore for the Sheep Development Board in the recent budget. The Government would provide a “Rambule” ram and local varieties of sheep each to the beneficiaries of a scheme through the board to help improve the stock of sheep , he said.. MLAs Gopal Bhandary and Lalaji Mendon and Chairman of Udupi Urban Development Authority B. Sudhakar Shetty were among those present.