NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Goa may not get fresh stock of beef from Monday onwards, as vehicles transporting the cattle for slaughter in the state have been blocked at the Karnataka check-post allegedly by members of a cow protection group.
Beef eaters may have to fall back upon frozen red meat, which is mostly supplied to hotels.
To deal with the possible shortage of beef, meat traders have appealed to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to hold a meeting with his counterpart from Karnataka, Siddaramaiah to discuss the issue relating to the beef ban and provide police protection for transporting the cattle into the state.
The beef traders held a meeting on Saturday under the banner of the Qureshi Meat Traders Association and decided to meet Parrikar and Governor Mridula Sinha seeking their immediate intervention in the matter so as to protect livelihood of the beef traders.
They will also seek deployment of police personnel at the border check-post for smooth transportation of the animals for slaughter at the Goa Meat Complex.
“We are meeting the Chief Minister to sort this problem out. The shortage will be experienced from Monday onwards since the available stock will last till Sunday. If cattle are not allowed to transport into the state for slaughtering then livelihood of at least 5000 families would get affected. Moreover it will hurt the sentiments of Muslims during the holy month of Ramzan,” president of Qureshi Meat Trader Association Manna Bepari said.
The state may experience severe beef shortage in the month of Ramzan, which is a peak season for the particular meat.
Some members of the association visited the Ramnagar check-post on Saturday to get to know of the blockade of the vehicles transporting the cattle. It was learnt that some ‘gau rakshaks’ have stopped the movement of the vehicles carrying the animals after the central government last week issued a notification banning sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter through animal markets.
“Our members visited the check-post on Saturday and we were informed by the police in-charge that they are not going to allow transportation of the animals to avoid any law and order situation,” he said.
Karnataka is yet to implement the notification. Before that state starts implementing the beef ban we must be allowed to get the cattle transported into Goa, he said.