Traders say illegal cattle fair taxes disrupting transport, urge authorities to intervene immediately
Srinagar, Aug 02(KNS): The General Secretary of the J&K Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association, Mehraj U Din Ganie, said that for over 10 days, his union had raised the issue of extortion and supply disruption with officials at various levels, including the Chief Minister, ministers, and the Commissioner and Director of the Animal Husbandry Department (CIPD).
He said the supply of livestock was halted due to ongoing issues at the Punjab border, where payments were being demanded in the name of cattle fair taxes, even from vehicles in transit from other states.
Ganie said the matter was critical as it disrupted supplies during the peak wedding season in the Kashmir valley. Despite increasing pressure from consumers and families affected by the disruption, the union was unable to continue supplies until a resolution was sought.
He said union representatives travelled to Punjab to raise the matter directly. He also said that a government team later arrived in Punjab and remained in touch with senior officers in J&K.
He said communication with the Commissioner and Director of CIPD was ongoing daily, and both were monitoring the situation closely.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
According to Ganie, the key issue is the misuse of the Cattle Fair Act in Punjab. He said the law originally allowed for a 2% tax on buyers and sellers only when livestock was traded in designated government markets with basic facilities.
However, he said no such markets exist today. Instead, he said individuals are collecting money directly from vehicles on highways, with no infrastructure provided.
Ganie said his union asked the Punjab authorities whether the Cattle Fair tax was being applied across India or only within Punjab. He said livestock coming from states like Rajasthan, Delhi, and Haryana is also being stopped at the Punjab border, despite no provision under the law for taxing goods merely passing through.
He said if the agreement made with the government team yesterday is followed, the situation may improve within days. However, he said that even today, reports suggest illegal collections are still taking place at the border.(KNS).