The proposed cattle preservation law in Assam will not affect Meghalaya, the former’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said today.
There have been fears in Meghalaya that the move to put heavy restrictions on cattle movement in Assam would keep beef off the tables in homes across this state.
“Our bill will not affect the consumption of beef or supply of cattle to Meghalaya or Nagaland or Arunachal Pradesh,” Sarma said on the sidelines of an event in Sohra. “They are free to bring things through Assam but they will need a permit.”
Meghalaya is heavily dependent on other states to meet its demand for beef, all of which comes through Assam.
The bill proposes to prohibit the transportation of cows from any place within Assam to places outside the state and ban transportation from places outside Assam to any place within the state. It would also restrict the sale of the meat to certain areas within Assam.
“This ban is within the geography and jurisdiction of Assam and, whenever Meghalaya or Arunachal or Nagaland needs consignment, only the state governments can certify that the vehicles are plying to their states,” Sarma added.
