AUG 13, 2003 Kerala Monitor News

Ban on Cow Slaughter: State getting ready to oppose the bill

by R.S.Priya

Thiruvananthapuram: The state is getting ready to witness a strong opposition to the bill, which has been cleared by the Union cabinet to put a ban on cow slaughter, and preventing cruelty to cow, a holy animal for Hindus. According to the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD), around of the 40 percent of the total meat consumed in the state consists of beef. The AHD has prepared a detailed report on the likely impact of the proposed report in the state. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister K.R.Gowri has informed that the report would be submitted to the centre

She said that the state would seriously take up the issue with the centre. According to her, the bill will also freeze the government plans to explore new markets for beef. The state is the largest consumer of beef in the country. Around 2.49 lakh tonnes of beef has been consumed last year and forms 40 pc of meat consumption. Five lakh cows were imported last year and the Meat Products of India, a State Government agency, itself sold 130 tonnes of beef last year. The demand for beef is so high that every year five lakh cows r brought from neighbouring states to be slaughtered. The state also has been selling the beef to other states where cow slaughtering is banned.

The bill, which was placed yesterday in the cabinet, is likely to be introduced in the current session of parliament. As per the bill, the punishment for slaughtering a cow is imprisonment for five years and for injuring or showing any kind of cruelty to a cow is a fine of Rs. 5000. The states other than Kerala where cow slaughtering has not yet been banned includes, Meghalaya, W.Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The Animal Husbandry Department hs already taken many steps to set up modern abattoirs for the export of bee and to strengthen laboratory facilities to ensure quality beef and exploration of new markets.

Even while steps are being taken to oppose the bill, quite a few doctors have applauded the same. Many health experts are of the opinion that reduction in the consumption of beef would reduce the rate of diseases in the state. According to Medical College Hospital superintendent Dr.Mathew Thomas, the ban would have a positive impact on the general health of the people. According to numerous studies conducted, it has been pointed out that beef contains high fat content, which is harmful to health - contrary to the description of beef as the cheap nutritious food product. Many people involved in the sale of meat products had described beef as good for health, though it has been strongly opposed by health experts. The steady increase in zoonotic diseases in the state is attributed to the consumption of beef. A few doctors have opposed the idea that absence of meat will result in nutrition deficiency. According to them there are better substitutes like pulses.

According to official reports, individuals without any valid license operate a majority of the slaughterhouses in the rural areas and this can cause serious troubles. In recent times, it has been reported that diseased cows are being slaughtered. creating much tension in the state. RSS and Sangh Parivar are in the meanwhile getting ready for an anti-slaughter campaign. -Keralamonitor.com

Coke samples tested: No contamination found

The samples of Coco-cola from the company's controversial Plachimada plant in Kerala, which had been sent for test, are found to be not contaminated. The testresults indicated that there is nt any kind of contamination in it. It has been revealed that the soft drink does not contain cadmium and the lead content is much lower than the permissible level. Health Minister P.Sankaran told the the state assembly on Wednesday. The interim report was based on tests conducted at the labs in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. The samples have also been sent to the Central Food Technology and Research Institute for examination and the results are expected soon.

IED Blast in Jammu and Kashmir

Atleast 31 persons, including 5 BSF men were injured following an improvised device blast (IED) at Bandipora chowk in Baramulla district of north Kashmir on Wednesday afternoon. Eight of the injured people are in serious condition. The IED was planted in a bicycle outside a restaurant adjacent to the local branch of State Bank of India around 12.35 pm.

Pending Telephone Connections in Kerala

Lok Sabha
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has planned a target of 8 lakh lines during 2003-04 to clear the waiting list in Kerala Telecom Circle. A total of 1,21,646 new telephone connections have been provided during 2003-04 upto 31.7.2003. In a written reply to a question by Shri Kodikunnil Suresh in the Lok Sabha today, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Shri Ashok Pradhan said that Cannanore leads the waiting list with 87,810 applicants followed by Malappuram (83,926) and Calicut (61,611).