CHENNAI: India, a country where cow is considered holy and Nandi (the bull) as the chief attendant of God Shiva in the Hindu mythology, ironically, is also known as one of the biggest exporters of beef in the world after Brazil and Australia according to a news report in Reuters. While we eat meat and beef in restaurants or at any eating joint, not much thought is given to important details like – the quality of the meat, the hygienic conditions and locations of the abattoirs and meat shops where the cattle are slaughtered and later sold.
There is an apparent cattle abuse and violation of the laws like (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960)and Sec. 428 and 429 of Indian Penal Code and Transport of Animals Rules, 1978 during cattle transportation via the entry routes in Tamil Nadu and also the functioning of the illegal abattoirs in Chennai, which includes the three run by the Chennai Corporation as well.
To delve deeper into the mechanism of how it all works, it starts with cattle trafficking and ends with meat being sold at the meat shops. The cattle are herded all the way from the states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa to the markets in Andhra Pradesh. They are herded to avoid expenditure on the trucks as well as to escape getting caught in the act. The traders in Andhra Pradesh buy the cattle from the cattle markets in places like Srikakulam, Hanuman junction etc. and then transport them to Kerela via Tamil Nadu. There are six routes in Tamil Nadu namely Hosur, Theni, Gudiyatham, Gummidipoondi and Kavarapettai from where the trucks loaded with cows, calves and bulls enter the state. They enter Kerela through the exit routes of Tamil Nadu – Pollachi, Coimbature, Erode, Ottamchatriam, Kumuli and Waliyar. Chengottai, Pollachi and Ottamchatriam are also known as Mafia dens. The cattle once transported are taken to the abattoirs in Kerela and are then butchered at the meat shops where the final meat is sold locally or exported to the foreign countries.
Cattle trafficking from Andhra Pradesh to Kerela
Although the transportation of the animals is not illegal, the rules flouted during the transportation not only violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act also the human rights issues. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act states that only six cattle can be transported in a truck with provision of food and drinking water at regular intervals during the transport. Every animal should be certified by a qualified and government authorized veterinarian stating the health of the animals and fitness for transport. The trucks should be covered to protect the animals from rain and sun. Consignee and Consignor paper should be present with the purchase bill stating the cost of the cattle and appropriate details of the purchase. Neither of these rules is followed. Around 20-25 cattle are forcefully cramped in one truck and transported all the way to Kerela in a pathetic condition with no food and water. The video below taken at Pollachi Market, by a non-governmental organization, People for Cattle in India, explains how the calves were transported.
“The situation worsens during the journey as some of the cattle die due to suffocation and improper food and water supply. That is not all, the police officials are bribed at different toll and check posts where per cattle is charged Rs. 2000 per head. Out of thousands of cattle that we have rescued many were kept in poor condition. The men who carry the cattle try to sedate or tame the cattle shoving fresh red or green chilli in their eyes,” says Arun Prassanna, Founder of the People for Cattle in India.
cattle abuse
Also, the cattle are tied together with tight ropes so that they won’t run away and are jammed into the trucks. They are usually numbered and are later slaughtered under the butcher’s knife. As they are jammed in one truck, their horns break and they end up hurting each other. The video below reveals the cruelty towards the aging and ‘unproductive’ cows as they are tortured by the hammer and killed. (Video Courtesy: People for Cattle in India)
A student journalist from Asian College of Journalism posed as an amateur trader called Mr. Thavadappan, one of the people hugely involved in cattle trafficking, in the garb of seeking help to start this business. The mafia admits that the trade which he manages with his elder brother involves bundling 20-25 cattle in single truck, bribery to the RTO officials and no license. The following is a part of the English translation of the Tamil conversation, the rest of the translation of the audio evidence is produced in the SoundCloud:
(I am not fully in to this business. My elder brother manages it. We sell it in the market. The shop owners buy from there and sell it in retail. At the truck level, it is difficult to do now. Perhaps 20-25 cows can be accommodated in a truck. A load will cost 7.5 to 8 lakhs. Expenses on the way will be another 1 to 1.5 lakhs like for example, on all the check posts on the way to Kerela; you have to bribe the RTO officials that will cost around 1 to 1.5 lakh.
Then in between, we need to unload and load. We need to feed the cattle. All that will also cost quite a bit. For this trade you do not need licence… contd.)
https://soundcloud.com/shraddha_g/mr-thavadappan-speaks-to-the
One of the officers from the Animal Welfare Board of India on the conditions of anonymity informed that every Thursday, the trucks loaded with cattle pass through the routes via Tamil Nadu. “Besides, there is a huge political nexus involved. In Theni district in Tamil Nadu, where cattle trafficking happen on a large scale, the cattle are made to walk with no proper food and shelter, and the owners carry fake certificates from the veterinarian certifying that the cattle are in good health. Theni district is also one of the major bases for a regional political party in Tamil Nadu. Although the party is nowhere involved, they are merely playing vote bank politics by permitting the business,” he said.
The rights and laws are flouted even after the cattle is transported and taken to the abattoirs. According to the news reported in TheHindu, the three abattoirs of Chennai Corporation situated in Saidapet, Villivakkam and Pulianthope are illegal and have been functioning without consent for operation. On March 20, 2014 the National Green Tribunal directed the Chennai Corporation to file an action-taken report on the steps taken against unlicensed abattoirs in the city.
Illegal abattoirs not only cause heavy pollution but are also accountable for the hazardous wastes as most of the houses are not maintained with adequate hygiene. The consumers eating the meat from these abattoirs are mostly unaware of the repercussions as well as the conditions in which the cattle is slaughtered and sent to the meat shops. The ‘by-products’ of slaughtering cattle like leather, buttons, ornaments etc. promises the traders a lucrative business in the markets.
operations in an illegal slaughter house
“There is a problem when it comes to law enforcement. The responsibility lies with the police as well as the government. The high court and Supreme court has given directions to the State governments to curtail cattle trafficking but the government officials turn a blind eye,” said Vinod Kumar, Chennai Corporation officer.
With absence of a proper regulatory control over the cattle trafficking as well as the slaughter, these practices are bound to continue unless there is adequate awareness amongst the people who are accountable for the cattle abuse during the transportation as well as the handling of the cattle during the later stage. As it was admitted by Mr. Thavadappan, that the last year has been bad for this trade with non-governmental organizations like People for Cattle in India and Blue Cross proactively rescuing and filing petitions against the illegal activities carried out by them in tribunal courts, it is enough to convey that these small beginnings would gradually create a nationwide stir and help protect the animals who cannot fight for themselves and save them from being perceived as an object of utility and abuse.
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