The Mizoram Animal Slaughter Act, 2013

The Mizoram Gazette

EXTRA ORDINARY

Published by Authority

RNI No. 27009/1973 Postal Regn. No. NE-313(MZ) 2006-2008 Re. 1/- per page

VOL - XLII Aizawl, Thursday 2.5.2013 Vaisakha 12, S.E. 1935, Issue No. 219

NOTIFICATION

No. H. 12018/230/2013-LJD, the 1st May, 2013. The following Act of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly, which received the assent of the Governor of Mizoram is hereby published for general information.

The Mizoram Animal Slaughter Act, 2013 (Act No. 6 of 2013). { Received the assent of the Governor of Mizoram on the 17th April, 2013}

AN ACT

to provide for the control of indiscriminate slaughter of animals for human consumption or industrial purposes and to provide for establishment of recognized slaughter houses in the state of Mizoram and any other matters connected with it.

It is enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram in the Sixty fourth year of the Republic of India as follow.

CHAPTER-1 PRELIMINARY

(1) This act shall be called “The Mizoram Animal Slaughter Act-2013” (2) It shall extend to the whole of the state of Mizoram excluding the areas of the Autonomous District Councils. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the official gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provision of the Act, or for different areas.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:- (a) “Animals” means- (i) Cattle, buffaloes, mithuns, (ii) Sheep, goats, dogs, pigs, rabbits; (iii) Fowls, poultry and other birds of all species; (iv) Such other animals whether domesticated or not as may be notified by the Government; (b) “Certificate” means a certificate issued by the Meat Inspector to the effect of the health condition of the animal examined; (c) “Department” means Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Government of Mizoram; (d) “Director” means the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Government of Mizoram; (e) “Diseased animal” means animals infected with Scheduled diseases; (f) “Government” means the Government of Mizoram; (g) “Infected animal” means an animal which is infected with Scheduled diseases; (h) “Meat inspector” means any officer appointed as such under Sub-section (1) of Section 4. (i) “Notification” means notification published in the Official Gazette; (j) “Official Gazette” means the Mizoram Gazette; (k) “Owner” means person or persons in charge of the animal at that time; (l) “Schedule” means the schedule of diseases appended to this Act; (m) “ Scheduled diseases” means any disease included in the Schedule, which Government may by notification in the Official Gazette, declare as an infectious or contagious disease ; (n) “State” means the State of Mizoram (o) “Veterinary Practitioner” means any person holding degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry from Government recognized University and registered in the Mizoram State Veterinary Council.

(1) On and from the commencement of this Act, no animal, meant for human consumption and sale in the recognized market, shall be slaughtered in any places other than the recognized slaughter houses. (2) Diseased animals or suspected to be diseased shall not be allowed to be slaughtered in such slaughter houses, and there shall be provision to segregate and isolate such animals for treatment or destruction as deemed fit by the Meat Inspector. (3) For the purpose of determining the fitness of an animal for slaughter for human consumption, an examiner to be called “Meat Inspector” shall be appointed. (4) Slaughter houses shall be established in conformity with the technical norms prescribed by the Department, either by the Government, Municipality or any other party authorized by the Government.

(1) The Government shall appoint Meat Inspectors to examine all the animals brought to the slaughter houses for slaughter and issue of certificate. (2) Any registered veterinary practitioner registered with the Mizoram State Veterinary Council shall be qualified to be appointed as Meat Inspector. (3) The Meat Inspector so appointed shall be the authority to determine the soundness of an animal for slaughter and its fitness for the purpose of human consumption.

Every animal brought to the slaughter house for slaughter shall be :- (a) subjected to ante-mortem examination, to determine its fitness for slaughter for human consumption; (b) segregated if found unfit for either treatment or destruction as deemed proper by the Meat Inspector; (c) allowed to be slaughtered, if found fit.

Every animal found to be fit for slaughter shall be properly identified by applying identification marks to separate them from the unfit animals.

Every animal found to be unfit for slaughter shall be:- (a) caused to be destroyed in a manner deemed proper by the meat inspector; (b) properly identified by applying identification marks to separate them from the healthy animals

Every carcass of the slaughtered animal shall be :- (a) subjected to post-mortem examination to determine its fitness for human consumption ; (b) segregated for destruction if found unfit. (c) allowed for sale, if found fit.

Every carcass found to be fit for consumption shall be:- (a) identified by putting stamp marks using appropriate materials. (b) issued a certificate stating its fitness for consumption;

Every carcass found unfit for human consumption shall :- (a) not be allowed to be sold in the market; (b) be caused to be destroyed in a manner deemed fit by the Authority.

Any person who- (a) knowingly allows an unfit animal to be slaughtered or an unfit carcass to be sold for consumption; (b) obstructs an examiner who shall examine the animals and carcasses to determine its fitness for slaughter and consumption as per the provision of this Act; (c) obstructs the destruction or refuses to destroy the unfit animals or carcasses under section 10 of this Act; (d) is or has been functioning as an examiner, fails to issue necessary certificates intentionally; (e) is or has been functioning as an examiner and issue certificates contrary to the provision of this Act; (f) is or has been functioning as an examiner and fails to take necessary steps as required in this Act; (g) commits any other offences or does anything contrary to any provision of this Act or any rule, order or direction made or given under this Act; shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to Rs. 500 or with both.

The Government may in furtherance to control indiscriminate slaughter of animals and prevent slaughter of unhealthy animals and thus prevent spread of diseases which may pose a threat to public health, issue such direction to Department or any other authority under this Act from time to time as it may deem fit and every such direction be complied with.

All officers and other employees of the Government or any other body under this Act shall exercise their power and discharge their duties conferred or imposed on them by or under this Act in accordance with such orders, not inconsistent with the provision of this Act, as the Government may issue from time to time.

The Government may, by notification, add to or omit from the schedule of diseases any animal diseases and the said disease shall, from the date of notification be deemed to have been added or omitted from the Schedule.

The Government may, by notification, delegate to any Officer of the Department or authority subordinate to it, all or any of the powers conferred on it by or under this Act.

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything done in good faith under this Act or the rules made there under.

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provision of this Act, the Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette make such provision of this Act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removal of the difficulty.

(1) The Government may by notification in the Official Gazette make rules for carrying out the purpose of this Act. (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:- (a) Conducting ante-mortem and post-mortem examination; (b) The manner in which healthy animals and unhealthy animals shall be segregated; (c) The manner in which healthy and unhealthy animal shall be marked; (d) The manner in which unhealthy animal shall be disposed off; (e) The manner in which healthy animal shall be slaughtered; (f) The manner in which healthy meat shall be identified and marked; (g) The manner in which the unfit meat shall be destroyed; (h) The manner in which the offal shall be disposed of; (i) The manner in which the recognized market sell meat shall be established, maintained and inspected; (j) The manner in which butchers shall be licensed and employed; (k) Any other matter required to be prescribed for the proper implementation of this Act. (3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as it is possible, before the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram while it is in session for a total period of seven days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions.