New Delhi: The Supreme Court bench led by the Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, on Friday, issued notice to the Centre and the states on a Public Interest Litigation(PIL), seeking artificial insemination of indigenous cows in view of decreasing indigenous breed and increasing crossbreds.
The PIL has been filed by A Divya Reddy, who has cited data from surveys, according to which currently there are 19,34,62,871 cattle in India out of which cross-bred amounts to 5,13,56,405 and indigenous amounts to 14,21,06,466. She says that there has been an increase of 29.3% in foreign cattle and a decrease of 6% in indigenous cattle.
"They cannot be allowed to be marginalized at the cost of exotic/foreign cattle only for the sake of increasing milk production. Indigenous cattle have various other benefits that contribute to the Indian society and economy that cannot be found in exotic/foreign cattle," read the plea.
"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/crossbreeds," read the plea.
Petitioner prayed for directions to educate farmers and livestock owners about the benefits of indigenous cattle and the unsustainability of crossbreds.
