ID Cards For Cattle To Prevent Smuggling

While a section of farmers in both Nadia and Murshidabad districts, which are near the Indo-Bangladesh border, welcomed the initiative taken by the Border Security Force authorities in fighting the massive smuggling problem, many farmers felt aggrieved about “unfair” treatment meted out to them by BSF personnel after they failed to bear the expense of having their cattle photographed.
One of many villagers, (who asked not to be named) residing in Patharghata, Nalda and Natna Border Outposts (BOPs) in Tehatta, Nadia, said: “To us poor farmers photographing our cattle means we have to take time off work. We earn barely Rs 50 or Rs 70 after a whole day's work. For just one photo of cattle, photographers from Tehatta or Chapra charge us Rs 100. If BSF authorities arrange to bear the cost of taking the photographs, we will certainly come forward to have our cattle get IDs.”

Many villagers in the bordering areas of Karimpur, Chapra and Krishnaganj areas, however, said they have voluntarily agreed to the identity cards to avoid harassment by the BSF and police who often raid villages in search of cattle that could be smuggled to Bangladesh.

BSF authorities in Nadia and Murshidabad districts have been working independently for the last few months to implement this programme ~ without help from either the local panchayats or local police ~ though the project was launched a year and a half ago.

Sign up for our
regular news updates

Latest Cattle Industry News

•   FMD NEWS: Financial Impact of FMD in Focus
•   BLUETONGUE: Import Ban Call as Tally Hits 40
•   English Beef Efficiency on the Up Say EBLEX
•   CAP Health Check to Ease Plight of Farmers
•   Resilient Japanese Beef Market is Australia's Rock
•   COOL and Canada: What will US Consumers Choose?
•   AFBF: GHG Regulations to Result in a 'Livestock Tax'
•   Fonterra Revises Payout and Warns of Hard Times
•   Wairarapa Field Day to Unlock Dairy Potential
•   Irish Beef Reform Scuppered by Competition Ruling
•   USMEF Fosus on Beef Export Momentum
•   CME: How Long Before US Sees Price Decline?
•   Russia Sets Out Meat Quota for Imports
•   The Milky Way to Recovering the Chinese Dairy Sector
•   TB Reservoirs: Badger or Cattle Populations?