Operation of the livestock check post of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary at Umling in Ri Bhoi has been suspended today by the State government pending permission from the National Highway Authority of India.
Minister in-charge, Sanbor Shullai said that the NHAI had requested the department to seek permission for installation of the check post.
“The check post will remain suspended till permission from NHAI is obtained. The department will seek permission and also if necessary, will seek alternative arrangement for installation of gate in other area within the jurisdiction of the State government,” he said.
Shullai said that 9th Mile would be the probable site for the entry point for checking of transit permit and health certificate for allowing transportation of livestock into State.
He said that the department will also ensure that other arrangement which include proper security, facilities for doctors and staff and also installation of CCTV will be taken care after the gate will be made operational he also assured that stringent measures to deal with illegal transportation of cattle will be taken for which the department shall work cohesively with police all across the state.
The department will ensure that all unauthorised livestock markets in Byrnihat without proper facilities will be closed and notice will be served to all those livestock markets, he added.
Informing that the aim of the check gate was to check health of livestock and to ensure that no diseased animal enters the State and also to prevent the illegal transportation of cattle to Bangladesh, Shullai said that the matter is also being taken up with the BSF to intensify border checks.
It may be mentioned that the livestock check gate at Umling was recently on the news after veterinary doctors stationed there left their post allegedly because other checkpoints tied to ‘high-level’ individuals were carrying out similar work.
The department had then issued a rebuttal, saying that the veterinary staff left their posts because of “security concerns”, though what the concerns were was not spelled out.
