Universal Declaration of Animal Laws
Final text adopted by the International League for Animal Rights and affiliated national leagues on the occasion of the Third International Meeting on the Rights of Animals (London 21-23 September, 1977). The Declaration, proclaimed on 15 October 1978 by the International League, affiliated leagues, associations and individuals who wish to be associated with it, will be submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and then to the United Nations Organization (UNO).
P R E A M B L E
Whereas all animals have rights
Whereas disregard and contempt for the rights of animals have resulted and continue to result in crimes by man against nature and against animals;
Whereas recognition by the human species of the right to existence of other animal species is the foundation of the co-existence of species throughout the animal world;
Whereas man on animals and the threat of genocide has perpetrated genocide continues;
Whereas respect for animals is linked to the respect of man for men;
Whereas from childhood man should be taught to observe, understand, respect and love animals;
IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED
Article 1
All animals are born with an equal claim on life and the same rights to existence.
Article 2
All animals are entitled to respect. Man as an animal species shall not arrogate to himself the right to exterminate or inhumanely exploit other animals. It is his duty to use his knowledge for the welfare of animals. All animals have the right to the attention, care and protection of man.
Article 3
No animal shall be ill treated or shall be subject to cruel acts. If an animal has to be killed, this must be instantaneous and without distress.
Article 4
All wild animals have the right to liberty in their natural environment, whether land, air or water, and should be allowed to procreate. Deprivation of freedom, even for educational purposes, is an infringement of this right.
Article 5
Animals of species living traditionally in a human environment have the right to live and grow at the rhythm and under the conditions of life and freedom peculiar to their species. Any interference by man with this rhythm or these conditions for purposes of gain is an infringement of this right.
Article 6
All companion animals have the right to complete their natural life span. Abandonment of an animal is a cruel and degrading act.
Article 7
All working animals are entitled to a reasonable limitation of the duration and intensity of their work, to the necessary nourishment, and to rest.
Article 8
Animal experimentation involving physical or psychological suffering is incompatible with the rights of animals whether it be for scientific, medical, commercial, or any other form of research. Replacement methods must be used and developed.
Article 9
Where animals are used in the food industry, they shall be reared, transported, lairaged and killed without the infliction of suffering.
Article 10
No animal shall be exploited for the amusement of man. Exhibitions and spectacles involving animals are incompatible with their dignity.
Article 11
Any act involving the wanton killing of an animal is biocide, that is, a crime against life.
Article 12
Any act involving mass killing of wild animals is genocide, that is, a crime against the species. Pollution or destruction of the natural environment leads to genocide.
Article 13
Dead animals shall be treated with respect. Scenes of violence involving animals shall be banned from cinema and television, except for humane education.
Article 14
Representatives of movements that defend animal rights should have an effective voice at all levels of government.
The rights of animals, like human rights, should enjoy the protection of law.
constitution of India
The Constitution of India through 42nd Amendment in 1976 has incorporated the concern towards environmental management in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 48A and 49) and the Fundamental Rights and Duties (Article 51A(g). These are quoted below.
1. Clause (g) of ar Camels may not be used on the beach. They are desert animals and sea air damages their lungs therefore it is illegal to keep or use them on the shore (PCA Section 11).
aticle 51A
2(g) 1 Clause (g) provides
that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India –
TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
INCLUDING FORESTS, LAKES, RIVERS AND WILD LIFE,
AND TO HAVE COMPASSION FOR LIVING CREATURES.
2(g) 2 In the face of the menace of the increasing pollution and environmental degradation, it is the duty of every citizen to protect and improve natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life and to have compassion for living creatures. The rising air, water and noise pollution and large-scale denudation of forest are causing immense harm to all human life on earth. The mindless and wanton deforestation in the name of needs of development is causing havoc in the form of natural calamities and imbalances. By protecting our forest cover, planting new trees, cleaning rivers, conserving water resources, reforesting wastelands, hills and mountains and controlling pollution in cities, villages and industrial units, we can help save the future of our fellow citizens and of planet earth itself. What is needed is a concerted effort at, an awareness campaign and a planned strategy to move forward through voluntary citizen initiatives. Governmental steps alone cannot help bring about a pollution-free atmosphere to live now and in the future.
2(g) 4 Earth is the common heritage of man and animals. We have no right to annihilate or drive away from their territory or natural habitat the wild denizens. Ancient Indian thought talks of Sarvesham Shantir bhavatu (peace unto all living beings and entire environment) or Ahimsa paramodharma. Ahimsa paramo tapah (non-violence is the greatest duty and the greatest penance).
2(g) 4 Earth is the common heritage of man and animals. We have no right to annihilate or drive away from their territory or natural habitat the wild denizens. Ancient Indian thought talks of Sarvesham Shantir bhavatu (peace unto all living beings and entire environment) or Ahimsa paramodharma. Ahimsa paramo tapah (non-violence is the greatest duty and the greatest penance).
Flying a kite, wantonly frightening horse, etc. –
Whoever files a kit or wantonly frightens any horse, or in driving, dragging or pushing any vehicle creates a noise reasonably calculated to cause danger to that person using the thoroughfare.
THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT, 1960
59 of 1960 As amended by Central Act 26 of 1982
Issued by
Animal Welfare Board of India
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS GENERALLY
11. (1) If any person
(a) Beats, kicks, over-rides, over-drives, over-loads, tortures or otherwise treats any animal so as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering or causes, or being the owner permits any animal to be so treated; or
(b) *(employs in any work or labour or for any purpose any animal which, by reason of its age or any disease) infirmity, wound, sore or other cause, is unfit to be employed; or
(c) Willfully and unreasonably administers any injurious drug or injurious substance to **(any animal) or willfully and unreasonably causes or attempts to cause any such drug or substance to be taken by ***(any animal;) or
(d) Conveys or carries, whether in or upon any vehicle or not, any animal in such a manner or position as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering; or
(e) Keeps or confines any animal in any cage or other receptacle which does not measure sufficiently in height, length and breadth to permit the animal a reasonable opportunity for movement; or
(f) Keeps for an unreasonable time any animal chained or tethered upon an unreasonably short or unreasonably heavy chain or cord; or
(g) being the owner, neglects to exercise or cause to be exercised reasonably any dog habitually chained up or kept in close confinement; or
(h) being the owner of (any animal) fails to provide such animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter; or
(i) without reasonable cause, abandons any animal in circumstances which tender it likely that it will suffer pain by reason of starvation thirst; or
(j) willfully permits any animal, of which he is the owner, to go at large in any street, while the animal is affected with contagious or infectious disease or, without reasonable excuse permits any diseased or disabled animal, of which he is the owner, to die in any street; or
(k) Offers for sale or without reasonable cause, has in his possession any animal which is suffering pain by reason of mutilation, starvation, thirst, overcrowding or other ill-treatment; or
{(1) Mutilates any animal or kills any animal (including stray dogs) by using the method of strychnine injections in the heart or in any other unnecessarily cruel manner or;
(3) Any police officer above the rank of a constable or any person authorized by the State Government in this behalf who finds any animal so diseased or so severely injured or in such a physical condition that in his opinion it cannot be removed without cruelty, may, if the owner is absent or refuses his consent to the destruction of the animal, forth with summon the veterinary officer in charge of the area in which the animal is found, and if the veterinary officer certifies that the animal is mortally injured or so severely injured or in such physical condition that it would be cruel to keep it alive, the police officer or the person authorized, as the case may be, may, after obtaining orders from a magistrate, destroy the animal injured or cause it to be destroyed; *(in such manner as may be prescribed).
1. Registration of Premises:
Every person owning or in charge of premises in which not less than five heads of cattle are kept for the purpose of profit, shall, in any case, where the premises are already in existence, within three months from the commencement of these rules and, in any case where, after the commencement of these rules any such premises, apply to the registering authority for the registration of such premises.
4. Application for Registration:
Every application for registration shall contain full information regarding the number and types of animals kept or to be kept, the purpose for which they are being kept or are to be kept, the provision made or to be made as respects floor space, flooring, ventilation, supply of food and water, disinfections, drainage, disposal of dung or unwanted matter, boundary walls and shall also contain such other information relevant to the matter as may be specifically called for by the registering authority.
5. Certificate of Registration:
(i) If the registering authority is satisfied that, having regard to the information supplied, the welfare of the cattle is adequately secured and that they are not likely to undergo any unnecessary suffering, he shall register the premises and issue to the applicant a certificate in respect thereof.
(ii) Every certificate shall be valid for a period of three years from the date of issuer thereof, but it may be renewed from time to time for a period of three years at a time on application made by the person owning or in charge of the premises, within three months from the date of expiry of the existing certificate.
6. Inspection of Premises:
Every premises registered under these rules shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times by any veterinary or public health officer of the local authority or of the State Government who may be authorized by the State Government in this behalf by general or special order.
7. Cancellation of registration:
If any premises are not maintained in the manner required under these rules, the registering authority may, by notice in writing stating the grounds on which the notice proceeds and after giving an opportunity to the person concerned to show cause, cancel the certificate.
8. Appeal:
An appeal shall lie from any order refusing or canceling the registration of any premises under these rules to such officer or other authority as the State Government may specify in this behalf.
9. Display of section 12 of the act:
10. Saving:
If in any area to which these rules apply, any rule, regulation or bye-laws made under any law for the time being in force, by any local authority which contains the provisions for the registration or licensing of premises in which cattle or any type thereof 'are kept then such rule, regulation or bye-laws to the extent to which it contains provisions relating to cattle or any type thereof, as the case may be, shall to that extent be of no avail.
(Notified in the Gazette of India, Part 11, Section 3, Sub-Section (11) vide Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation (Department of Agriculture), Notification No. 14-20/76-LD.1 dated 30th November 1978.)
THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT, 1960
59 of 1960 As amended by Central Act 26 of 1982
Issued by
Animal Welfare Board of India
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS GENERALLY
11. (1) If any person
(a) beats, kicks, over-rides, over-drives, over-loads, tortures or otherwise treats any animal so as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering or causes, or being the owner permits any animal to be so treated; or
(b) *(employs in any work or labour or for any purpose any animal which, by reason of its age or any disease) infirmity, wound, sore or other cause, is unfit to be employed; or
(d) Conveys or carries, whether in or upon any vehicle or not, any animal in such a manner or position as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering; or
Calculation must include
the weight of the vehicle as well as the load
2. Laws Applicable to Draught Animals Rule 3 of The Prevention of Cruelty To Draught and Pack Animals Rules 1965 lays down maximum loads that animals may carry as well as conditions for their working.
3. All tangas and bullock carts are required to be registered with the local Corporation to be allowed to ply. This license number is the only method of identification for these carts. When registering a complaint against them, be sure to get this number. Here is what to look out for:
4. Overloaded animal or cart. Check against the maximum load list. Overloading is illegal (Draught & Pack Animals Rules and PCA Section 11) Offenders are required to unload the cart / animal. The police have the right to confiscate both the cart and the animal.
5. Where the route involves going uphill for a distance over 1 km, the specified weights shall be halved.
6. Weak, limping or injured animal. It is illegal to work a sick or injured animal (PCA Section 11). In the case of horses, check beneath the saddle area for sores. In the case of bullocks, check the neck area. With the load falling primarily on their necks, a high percentage of bullocks develop neck cancer. An injured animal may be confiscated and impounded at the nearest animal infirmary / shelter / municipal pound.
7. Frothing at the mouth. It is illegal to work animals when the temperature is above 37 degrees Celsius (Draught & Pack Animal Rules). This means most summer afternoons.
8. Obviously exhausted animal. Animals may not be worked for more than 5 hours at a stretch and not for more than a total of 8 hours a day.
9. When not in use, animals are required to be unharnessed, fed and watered.
10. Emaciated animal. Owners are required to provide sufficient food for the animal (PCA Section 11).
11. Whipping, kicking or beating. It is illegal to hit any animal (PCA Section 11). Many tanga and bullock cart drivers use sticks with nails on the end. They also poke the stick into the animal's rectum to prod it to go faster. All of this is illegal and punishable with a fine and up to 3 months in jail.
12. The use of any harness, yoke or bit with spikes, knobs or any sharp projection, which is likely to cause, bruises, swellings or pain to the animal is forbidden.
THE TAMIL NADU ANIMAL PRESERVATION ACT, 1958
INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1960
The Police can also apply the following sections of the IPC and bring offenders to task (for cruelty).
Ø Sec 289-Negligent Conduct with respect for Animal:
Whoever knowingly or negligently omits to take such order with any animal in his possession as is sufficient to guard against any probable danger to human life, or any probable danger of grievous hurt from such animal, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend up to two years or with fine or with both.
Ø Section 428-Mischief by killing or maiming animal of the value of ten Rupees:
Whoever commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering useless any animal or animals of the value of ten rupees or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend up to two years, or with fine or with both.
Ø Section 429-Mischief by killing or maiming cattle etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupees:
Whoever commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering useless any elephant, camel, horse, mule, buffalo, bull, cow or ox, whatever may be the value of these or any other animal of the value there of or any other animal of the value of fifty rupees or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both.
Present Condition of the Draft Animals
Ø Working animals are under go inhumane treatment like over loaded with 4 to 5 times more than what they are suppose to draw. When the animals are unable to pull the cart the cart man rubs chilly powder, tobacco, sand and snuff in to their eyes. Some times they also damage one eye. Cart men also use nails, sharp and hard thorns in the whips, burning cloth stuffed in to their nostrils, boiling water pored on their face, poked with sticks in to the testicles and anus, tails are twisted with broken bones cart man bites very hard to cause sever pain, so that the animals will be forced to run pulling the over load.
Ø Meat mafias are only keen on slaughtering any thing for the sake of their revenue.
Ø Cattle in India are known as the National wealth, People and the Administration misunderstand this concept. Utilization of the bovines could be beneficial only when they are alive and not by slaughtering.
Ø Mainly the Indian bullocks use for various purpose like plowing, pulling load, supply energy for a desalination system that will provide clean water to villages with no electricity and their dung and urine can be the best fertilizer.
Ø Specialty of our Indian cattle is they eat less and work more.
Ø If these animals are made to work with limited hours and pulling limited load the animal will live for long period and the owners can benefit more.
Ø By the above regulation more cart drivers will get employment.
Ø Increase in the rural women employments.
Ø Slaughtering the working bullocks should be totally banned, these animals are over worked, beaten, kept in unhygienic sheds, poor feeding, no proper veterinary care, force to pull the loads between the speeding vehicles inhaling the carbon and dust due to which these animals suffer from cancer, tuberculoses, blood clots due to ruthless beating and open injuries.
1. Over loading
2. Twisting tails
3. Jabbing with spike rod
4. Tight nostril rope
5. Frothing mouth
6. Whipping
7. Canning
8. Sores
9. Loose motion
10. Applying chilly powder or any kind of substance in any part of the body
11. Tying legs together
12. Harassed during rest
13. Such animals used for human consumption cause serious health hazards.
We have also given more scientific, ethical, up gradation of Indian economy and rules to protect the working animals they are as following.
National Commission on Cattle
A National Commission on Cattle was set up during August 2001 to review the relevant laws of the land relating to protection, preservation, development and well being of cattle and implementation of laws, regulations, standards etc. for movement of cattle and improvement of functions of gaushalas/ gausadans/ pinjarapoles and to suggest such measures as may be deemed necessary to secure cattle wealth of India. The Commission submitted its Report in July 2002. The Department constituted an expert group of officers to examine the recommendations made by the commission and suggest measures to implement them. The report of the Expert Group has been considered. The Agriculture Minister has approved most of the recommendations of the Commission. The recommendations concerning other Departments/ Organizations/ State Governments have been sent to them for taking appropriate action.
The late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi had on the occasion of the International Energy Conference held in Nairobi in 1982 had told,"... In this age of jet planes people refer to bullock-carts as symbols of the past. However, in India, animals provide more power than all our powerhouses, whose installed capacity is 22,000 mw. Replacing them by electricity would entail a further investment of 25--40 billion dollars, over and above the loss to the farm-economy of manure and cheap fuel.
In view of the above-mentioned facts, preservation and improvement of our cattle-wealth is a must for placing agriculture on sound footing. That is why it was incorporated in the Constitution of India itself. But unfortunately very little has been done on this count. This is obvious from the fact that cattle-slaughter initiated by the Britishers under the state protection is not only continuing, but has also assumed galloping proportions.
This is causing ruin to farming and animal husbandry, the largest of the self-employed sector. The country has today less than half of the bullocks required for farming. Cattle-slaughter is being promoted for export of meat and hides, with no concern for the interests of the rural population.
While pursuing such a course, we must pause a bit and reflect over what late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, who ushered India into the technological development era, had said in the Parliament in December 1963: II ...I am no doubt a great admirer of the modern machines and want our country to possess latest of technology and best of the machines. Nevertheless the fact remains that our development has failed to benefit a very large section of the people and is not likely to do so for a very long period to come. Under the circumstances, we will have to adopt some different technique so that our villagers are participants in production and growth. We will have to pay greater attention to these poor villager and do something concrete for them. I feel that quicker results are not likely to be had, unless some complimentary industry is added to farming. And I think, animal husbandry is one such thing that deserves promotion and it can be supplemented to agriculture."
In our considered opinion, to save rural India, agriculture must be saved and to save agriculture, cattle must be saved. Partial ban on slaughter is of no consequence. The judgment of the Supreme Court in this regard has proved disastrous for our cattle as we are faced with a situation in which even the best of cattle after slaughter are severer times more profitable than alive for use. To avert such a catastrophic development, a total foolproof ban on cattle-slaughter is essential. Just as the Government had to come to rescue of the farmers caught into the clutches of the money- lenders, it again must run to their rescue and save their cattle and farming. Since the problem concerns the fate of entire rural India, a suitable central legislation is indispensability. Along with, export of meat and beef of any kind must be forthwith stopped, in absence of which all cattle- preservation measures will be put to nought.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Animal Husbandry is a state subject and the State Governments are primarily responsible for the growth of the sector. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying has, however, been operating 18 Central Livestock Organizations and allied Institutions for production and distribution of superior germ plasms to the State Governments for cross breeding and genetic up gradation of the stocks. Besides, the Department has been implementing 12 Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the development of requisite infrastructure and supplementing the efforts of the State Governments for achieving the accelerated growth of animal husbandry sector.
Value of Output
According to estimates of the Central Statistics Organization (CSO), the value of output from livestock and fisheries sectors together was about Rs 179,543 crores at current prices during 2001-02 (Rs. 150,240 crores for livestock sector and Rs. 29,303 crores for fisheries) which is about 28.3 per cent of the value of the output of Rs. 635,395 crores from total Agriculture & allied Sector. The contribution of these sectors in the total GDP during 1999-2000 was 6.8 %. Also plays an important role in utilization of non-edible agricultural by-products.
The contribution of milk alone (Rs.103,804 crores) was higher than paddy (Rs. 73,964 crores), wheat (Rs.43,815 crores) and sugarcane (Rs.28,205 crores). The value of output from meat group as per estimates of Central Statistical Organization (CSO) at current prices was Rs. 4,438 crores during 2001-02 as compared to Rs. 2,834 crores during 1995-96.
Animal Husbandry sector provides large self-employment opportunities. According to National Sample Survey Organization's latest survey (1999-2000), the estimate of employment in animal husbandry sector was 11 million in principle status and 8 million in subsidiary status, which is 5% of the total working population.
Ø India ranks first in respect of cattle and buffaloes population in the world.
Ø About 19 million people working in livestock sector.
Ø The contribution of livestock sector in the total GDP during 2000-01 was 7.35%.
Ø Women constitute 71% of the labor force in livestock farming. In dairying, 75 million women are engaged as against 15 million men.
Ø In India food consumption basket is also diversified in favor of non-food grain items like milk, meat, egg and fish. Women will be playing a larger role in value addition and marketing of these items.
All hooves to India's pumps
New Scientist vol 178 issue 2394 - 10 May 2003, page 19
BULLOCKS will soon be helping Indian villagers purify their drinking water instead of pulling ploughs. The animals will supply energy for a desalination system that will provide clean water to villages with no electricity. The first system is due to begin operation within the next couple of months in Moti Chirai, a remote village in the Kutch region of Gujarat near the border with Pakistan. A pair of bullocks will trudge slowly in circles, powering a pump capable of purifying as much as 3000 liters of otherwise undrinkable salty water a day - enough for a thousand villagers.
CATTLE-PRESERVATION: 'MUST' FOR INDIA'S AGRICULTURE
A note presented by Shree K. C. Shroff Chairman of Excel Industries for the consideration of the national-seminar Thus our cattle, i.e. cows and bullocks are sum mum bonum of agriculture, giving us milk as health-giving diet, animal power for draught-purposes and last, but not the least, provide for urine and dung so essential for keeping the soil in good heart. With the discovery of the gobar gas, plenty of energy in the shape of methane gas can be had, besides the slurry, which is very excellent manure. Jimmy Carter, the late American President had rightly observed: 'This is a perennial source of energy.'
CATTLE IN INDIAN ECONOMY
- Babubbai J. Patel ( Ex. Chief Minister of Gujarat )
The total number of cows and their progeny of all ages is about 180 million and that of buffaloes and their progeny of all ages is about 60 million in the country. Each of them yields about 10 kilograms of dung per day on an average. If this dung is passed through a gobar gas plant it would yield about 13 cubic feet of cooking gas per animal per day. It would be quite adequate for cooking of one person's food per day. That means these 240 million animals could supply cooking heat for 240 millions of people.
This great source of energy is very valuable in a country in which there is a dearth of firewood, which is increasing with the reduction in the forest area due to utilisation of that land for agricultural, and other purposes and submergence under irrigation projects as also other wanton destruction of trees.
After extracting the gas the dung when dried up would provide rich nitrogenous fertilizer, which is estimated at about 2 per cent in the dung. Each animal would produce about 3650 kilograms of dung per year on an average. It might contain about 2 percent nitrogen. Each animal would produce about 73 kilograms of nitrogenous fertilizer per year besides the cooking gas released through the gober gas plant. The 240 million animals would thus provide about 17.5 million tons of nitrogen through this rich organic manure. Currently we are utilizing chemical fertilizers to the extent of about 7 million tons per year, 3 million tons out of this is imported stuff.
The cost of imports is s about 10000 million rupees per year. The cost of our local production is about 6000 million rupees. The capital cost involved in the production of chemical fertilizers is about 4000 rupees per ton. If we have to replace 17.5 million tons, which these animals could produce, we may need about 70 million rupees as capital investment. Besides this the cost of production of chemical fertilizers would be much higher than the cost of production of cow dung, which in many areas will be negligible. All the 240 million animals would provide dung though only 70 million will be useful for haulage and 37 million would be yielding milk at a time. The remaining 133 million animals would be providing dung with rich gas and manure content at a very low cost of feeding. So all these animals contribute substantially throughout their life and after their death leave their skin, bones, horns, hoofs, intestines, flesh, blood, etc. that can be utilized for diverse purposes.
The massacre that is going on at an ever-increasing pace will result in a heavy economic damage to the country. These animals contribute about 66 billion rupees worth of milk and 50 billion rupees worth of energy, and if properly utilized can contribute through gobar gas plant about 24, billion rupees worth of cooking gas and manure worth about 26 billion rupees, making a total contribution of 166 billion rupees in the shape of goods and services every year to the country's economy.
Assuming that we eliminate these animals to earn foreign exchange or produce more beef for human consumption, we will be required to replace the 40 million ploughs by about 4 million tractors requiring an investment of 600 billion rupees at the rate of about 1,50,000 rupees per tractor and trailer and about 8,00,000 additional trucks for haulage costing about 160 billion rupees additional investment at the rate of about 2,00,000 rupees per truck, to replace all the 1,50,000 bullock carts.
Beside this we will need energy worth about 50 billion rupees to be replaced for working these tractors and trucks the capitalized, 'value of which would be above 300 billion rupees. Thus besides losing a yearly income of 160 billion rupees. We will have to incur a capital expenditure of about 1060 billion rupees to replace the alternatives to these animals.
The milk, manure and gas will be irreplaceable. Equivalent amount of chemical fertilizers would require an investment of about 70 billion rupees at the rate of 4 billion rupees investment for million-ton production capacity. In all we will have to lose an yearly income of 160 billion rupees, invest additional 1130 billion rupees and find alternatives for gas and milk, at additional cost and investment
This presumes that we will be able to produce or secure enough steel and productive capacity to produce 4 million tractors against the present capacity of 34 thousand tractors per year and 8,00,000 trucks against the capacity of about 1,00,000 trucks per year, and also that we will be able to spend about 50 billion rupees per year additionally for import of fuel to run these vehicles. These are all staggering figures. Our current five year plan would cost 97,500 crores of rupees.
Against that this single item replacement of useful milch and draught animals would demand an investment of about 113000 crores of rupees equivalent to an amount much higher than the total outlay of the Sixth Five Year plan which itself is larger than the investment in all the plans put together. Moreover the country is faced with an adverse balance of trade of about Rs. 6000 crores per year. This will lead to additional adverse balance of another 6000 crores or more for additional petroleum products, fertilizers, steel etc. imports.
All this can completely wreck our economy. It is not too early in the dli1r if we apply our mind to this grave risk, which we are running by accelerating the pace of slaughter of useful animals. Devnar is a living example of the rising pace of slaughter. Initially it was permitted to slaughter 1755 useless bullocks and buffaloes per week that is about 90,000 per year. In 1973-74 it slaughtered 66789 bullocks alone. In 1980-81 it slaughtered 121656 bullocks. Currently about 1,25,000 bullocks, 20,000 buffaloes and 25,00,000 goats and sheep per year. As the Chief Minister of Kerala conveyed to Vinobaji by his letter dated 10’Th May, 1979 that Kerala alone slaughters 14,00,000 cows and bullocks per year.
Humble bullock continues to hold its head high
Much revered but grossly overused, bullocks in Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh continue to be a major source of draught animal power, mechanization of farming operations notwithstanding. It is estimated that Tamil Nadu has about 3 lakh bullocks being used for a variety of purposes, including plowing, transportation of goods and passengers and drawing water from Persian wheels.
There are a number of reasons why bullocks continue to hold an important place in rural life. However, two of these are the most important. The first is tradition. Cows being revered in the Indian society, their male calves are traditionally reared lovingly by farmers and then used as bullocks in farming. This emotional bond between the farmer and his bullocks is still strong.
Secondly, bullocks still make economic sense for medium and small farmers. A tractor-trailer for these farmers is a liability. The initial expenditure and later operational costs and maintenance are too high for farmers with smaller holdings. Most such farmers have already burnt their fingers by buying tractors on loan and then selling land to repay it. They have reverted to bullocks.
A young pair of bullocks costs around Rs 10,000, which is negligible as compared to tractors. Likewise, a bullock cart costs just Rs 12,000 to 15,000. The trailer for tractor costs significantly higher.
Cattle are in general sturdy, powerful and docile. They are useful for heavy ploughing, carting and drawing water from deep wells. Bull calves are castrated when they are about three years of age and broken for light work. They are supposed to take the full load of work when they are above four years of age. A pair of bullocks can haul about 1,200 to 1,500 pounds of load in an iron-rimmed cart at an average speed of three miles per hour to a distance of 15 or 20 miles per day. In the fields, they can work for eight to 10 hours a day.
Rural economy has a self-contained production system in which small farmers keep livestock in proportion to the crop residues available to sustain the cattle virtually free of cost. Largely, family labour is used to look after the cattle. This explains why bullocks fit in so well despite the changing agricultural scenario.
India is known as a country with the largest number of cows and buffaloes in the world. The total number of all kinds of cattle and buffaloes well exceed 400 million. In other words, one sixth of the world's cows and one half of the world's buffaloes live in India. We find a similar picture in Pakistan with a higher population share of buffaloes than in India. Cattle and buffaloes, known as "bovines" as a group, number about 500 million in the two countries.
Because of this bovine population, it is no wonder that travelers find cows everywhere. So, let's go around rural South Asia focusing on cows and buffaloes.
In India, Hindus regard cows as “sacred”. A cow symbolizes fertility and motherhood. Five products from cow, namely, milk, ghee (purified butter), yoghurt, urine, and dung, are used in religious purification.
In this essay, the economic value of cows will be explained, since I believe that their religious value is originally based on their economic value.
Bullock for Cultivation
The most important economic role of bovines was their work in cultivation. In semi-arid zones spanning India, land in the dry season becomes too hard. It is not possible to cultivate with hand plows. Therefore, to keep a pair of bullocks for work and for plowing was of vital importance to rural life.
The reason for worshipping cows in India could be due to the importance of cows in producing bullocks. Under traditional technologies, it was necessary for prosperity of a farming family to have a healthy cow.
They are castrated driving bullocks requires high skill. Plows are the key technology in South Asian agriculture. Because of this reason, many scholars are studying the shape of plows and the historical routes of technology transfers.
The round shape of plow body is found widely in Northwest India and Pakistan. If a family has a small holding just sufficient for subsistence, it usually has only one plow and only one pair of bullocks. On the other hand, a family with huge land holding has several plows. For this reason, the number of plows symbolizes the social status of a farming family in traditional villages of South Asia. For example, farmers contribute to village ceremonies according to their number of plows.
Bullock cultivation was once a rule in India. Now tractor cultivation is replacing bullocks.
Bullocks work not only in the field but also in other areas. They operate Persian wheel wells to irrigate land they give powers to fodder cutter, and they are the engines of bullock carts.
The invention of this technology improved agricultural productivity in medieval India substantially. But these devices pump up water only about 12m deep. Since tube well technology was introduced, Persian wheels have been disappearing very rapidly.