New Delhi: The Environment Ministry on Friday banned the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter through animal markets and introduced fresh restrictions on the sale of cattle in order to prevent their killing.

“No one can bring cattle to an animal market unless he or she has furnished a written declaration that the cattle will not be sold for the purpose of slaughter. Further, upon sale of cattle, the animal market committee will take an undertaking that the animals are for agricultural purposes and not for slaughter,” a gazette notification, titled Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change stated.

The gazette notification also specified that the purchaser of the cattle will not sell the animal for the purpose of slaughter nor “sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose”.

The notification defines “cattle” as bovine animals, including bulls, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves and camels.

From now, officials at the animal market will have to verify that the purchaser of the cattle is a farmer by checking the relevant revenue documents.

The notification makes it mandatory for veterinary inspectors to certify proper loading and unloading of animals. The inspector can mark any animal as unfit for sale.

Taking animals outside the state will require special approval of the state government nominee. Animal markets have also been prohibited from within 25km of state borders.

No animal market will now be able to run without approval of district animal market committee to be headed by a magistrate and having two representatives of government-approved animal welfare groups.

Besides, cow shelters, animal welfare organisations etc. which are giving up cattle for adoption, will have to provide an affidavit that the animals will be used for agricultural purposes and not for slaughter.

Regulating cattle trade is a state subject but animal welfare is overseen by the Centre. Interestingly, the new rules were approved by former environment minister Anil Madhav Dave before his death last week.

The meat industry is likely to be severely hit by the regulation. Also the livelihood of farmers will be affected as they will be deprived of a traditional source of income from selling ageing and non-milch cattle.