Haryana sets up Animal Welfare Board

The Haryana Government has constituted the State Animal Welfare Board for animal welfare under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Composition:
The official members of the Board would include Director, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department; Director, Urban Local Bodies Department; Chief Wildlife Warden and representative of Animal Welfare Board of India. The Director-General, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, would be the Member Secretary which has non-official members as well. The Director General, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, would be the controlling authority to countersign the Travelling Allowance Bill of non-official members of the Boards and contingencies.

Functions:

• The functions of the State Animal Welfare Board would be to ensure proper implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960, the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter (Haryana Amendment) Act, 1980 and the Cattle Trespass Act, 1871 and other Acts or Regulations for animal welfare applicable to the state. The Board may give directions to the concerned departments/agencies and review their performance in this regard.
• The other functions of the Board will be to coordinate activities relating to the preservation and development of cattle for increasing the production of milk and draft power, to organise and coordinate the activities of gaushala and prinjrapoles on matters relating to the development of cattle wealth, capturing stray cattle and their proper rehabilitation.

Headquarters:
The headquarters of the Board would be in Chandigarh.

Term of Board:
The term of the Board would be two years, but the government may extend the period or dissolve or reconstitute it at an earlier date.

By: Dr. Vivek Rana