The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from Centre and State Governments on a plea seeking appropriate directions for artificial insemination of non-descript cows using semen from pure or descript indigenous breeds as opposed to 'Exotic' Foreign Breeds such as Holstein Friesian and Jersey.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana issued notice to Centre on a plea filed by A. Divya Reddy.
"Cattle is considered to be one of the first animals to have been domesticated by man. Studies suggest that cows were domesticated around 10,000 years ago. Currently, the two species of cattle used in India are the indigenous breeds which have existed in India for thousands of years and the Exotic/ Foreign Cattle [eg. Jersey. Holstein Friesian etc] which have been imported/ whose semen has been artificially inseminated into Indigenous Breeds in a bid to increase milk production, " the petitioner said.
Reddy, in his plea filed through Advocate Krishna Dev Jagarlamudi, sought to issue direction to declare the action of the Respondents in promoting and encouraging artificial insemination of Non-Descript Cows using semen from 'Exotic' Foreign Breeds such as Holstein Friesian and Jersey, including through their Breeding Policies, as being arbitrary and not in consonance with Article 48 of the Constitution of India.
The petitioner said that if this trend is further encouraged or even allowed to continue with no action from the Governments, we will be forced to face a day where India cannot proudly claim any breed of cattle as its own. Swift and decisive action in the short term, coupled with a sustainable long-term plan, is required from the Central and State Governments in order to sufficiently protect and promote the diminishing population of Indigenous Breeds in India. Milk from Indigenous Breeds has several health advantages over milk of Exotic / Cross Breeds, the petition said.
The petitioner has sought to direct the respondents to take appropriate steps for the artificial insemination of Non-Descript Cows using the semen from Pure / Descript Indigenous Breeds as opposed to 'Exotic' Foreign Breeds.
The petitioner also sought to direct the Respondents to make available and adequately distribute semen of Indigenous Breeds for the purpose of artificially inseminating Non-Descript Cattle.
It also sought to direct the respondents to take appropriate steps for educating the farmers and livestock owners of the benefits of Indigenous Cattle and the long-term harmful effects and unsustainability of rearing Exotic/ Crossbred Cattle.
According to petition, over the past few decades, India's single-minded pursuit of increasing milk production has resulted in a steady decline in the population of its Indigenous Breeds with a simultaneous manifold increase in the number of Exotic / Cross Breeds, as evidenced by a bare perusal of the various Livestock Censuses issued by the Central Government from time to time.
( With inputs from ANI )
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