Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a move to strengthen animal welfare and regulate the transportation of poultry, the Goa government has introduced mandatory certification for live birds brought into the State.
Under a new notification issued by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, every incoming poultry consignment must be accompanied by a certificate issued by the competent authority in the area where the birds originate. Shipments without the required certification will be refused entry into Goa.
The new directions have taken effect immediately and also apply to the transportation of live poultry within the State.
The certification must provide relevant details about the consignment, including its source, the health condition of the birds and their suitability for transportation, wherever applicable.
The department has also made it clear that transporters must keep all statutory documents, permissions and related records readily available. These will have to be produced before authorised officials whenever required.
Special emphasis has been placed on preventing cruelty during transportation. Poultry must be carried under conditions that protect the birds from excessive crowding, physical injuries and unnecessary stress, while also reducing the possibility of disease spreading.
Violations of the new requirements may lead to consignments being stopped from entering Goa, along with further legal proceedings under the applicable laws.
The government has based the directions on existing animal welfare and transportation provisions, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Transport of Animals (Amendment) Rules, 2001, the Central Motor Vehicles (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2015, and the Bureau of Indian Standards’ IS 5238:2001 guidelines for poultry transportation.
