NT NETWORK
Panaji
The pressure is mounting on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to solve the beef scarcity in Goa with the ruling and Opposition legislators as well as the Church authorities demanding that the cattle meat be made available to Goans before the beginning of the Christmas season.
The beef crisis in Goa has resulted from the reduction in supplies from Karnataka.
The MLAs have requested the Chief Minister to communicate with the Karnataka government and make necessary arrangements for beef supply.
Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa has written to Sawant requesting him to solve the issue before Christmas.
Moreover Council for Social Justice and Peace – a wing of the local Church – has urged the Chief Minister to urgently intervene in the matter vis-à-vis the prevention of slaughter and preservation of cattle bill 2020 of the Karnataka government.
The CSJP has urged Sawant to discuss the issue with the Karnataka Chief Minister and request him not to notify this bill in order to safeguard the livelihood of hundreds of meat traders, who along with their employees are totally dependent on this trade for their survival.
A memorandum submitted by the CSJP to Sawant on December 15 on behalf of the meat traders and beef consumers from Goa states that Karnataka assembly passed the particular bill, which bans the slaughter of bulls and buffaloes in that state as well as prevents
their sale and transportation, and in turn badly affected the meat traders in Goa, who are totally dependent on Karnataka for the supply of beef for human consumption.
CSJP director Fr Savio Maria Fernandes observed that in 2015, Maharashtra had also passed such a bill due to which Goa was made to depend totally on Karnataka for beef supply.
“Since agriculture is not conducted in a large scale in Goa, the animals needed for supply of beef are not available in the state,” he said.
Furthermore, the memorandum pointed out, “The supply of beef or live animals for slaughter blocked by both the neighbouring states has seriously affected the livelihood of hundreds of meat traders in Goa, who along with their families depend solely on this trade for their survival.”
“It is a fact that vast majority of the population in Goa consume beef, and for many of them, beef is the primary source of protein,” it noted.
The memorandum further maintained that the beef is also required for the tourism industry, and since Goa is a popular tourist destination, beef is very important to the culinary businesses.
“In a multi-cultural society like India, such a ban will prove to be a challenge in upholding the plurality, which is the essence of our nation,” it added.
In Goa, the demand for beef rises during the Christmas season as well as days preceding the New Year.