Chapter I Chapter I

Preliminary

1. (1) This Act may be called the East Punjab Livestock and Birds Contagious Diseases Act, 1948.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
3. (3) This section shall come into force at once and the Central Government may by notification bring the rest of the Act, or any part of it, into force in the State or any area in the State on such date and for such period as may be specified in the notification.

Notwithstanding anything contained in section 1, the Central Government may by notification exempt any area from any or all of the provisions of this Act, or direct that any provision of this Act shall apply to any area with such modifications as may be specified.

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,—

1. (a) ‘livestock’ means all domesticated animals maintained on farms or by individuals including horses, donkeys, mules, elephants, cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, dogs, cats or such other animals as may from time to time be specified by the Central Government by notification;
2. (aa) ‘birds’ means a domesticated chick, and includes such other fowl, duck, goose or other birds as may from time to time be specified by the Central Government by notification;
3. (b) ‘an infective animal’ is one which is affected with a scheduled disease or has recently been in contact with or in close proximity to an animal so affected;
4. (c) ‘prescribed’ means prescribed by regulations or rules made under this Act;
5. (d) ‘scheduled disease’ means any disease for the time being included in the schedule in Appendix I.

The diseases specified in the Schedule in Appendix I shall in the first instance be scheduled diseases for the purpose of this Act, but the Central Government may, by notification—

1. (a) delete any entry from the Schedule, or
2. (b) include in the Schedule any communicable disease of livestock or birds to which it is expedient in their opinion that the provisions of this Act should apply.

1. (1) The Central Government may either by name or designation appoint any person holding the office of Veterinary Assistant or Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, or any graduate of a recognised veterinary college whom they think fit to be a Veterinary Surgeon for the purposes of this Act, and may define the area within which he shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of a Veterinary Surgeon under this Act.
2. (2) A Veterinary Surgeon shall have all the powers of an Inspector under this Act, and may exercise such powers concurrently with his powers as Veterinary Surgeon.

The Central Government may either by name or designation appoint any person it thinks fit to be an Inspector for any or all of the purposes of this Act and may define the area within which he shall exercise the powers and perform the duties incidental to such purposes.

Any person appointed under section 5 or 6 shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.

An Inspector may, subject to any rules made in this behalf by the Central Government, enter and inspect any land or building or other place or any vessel or vehicle for the purpose of exercising the powers or performing the duties conferred and imposed on him by or under this Act.