West Bengal Livestock Improvement Act, 1954
No: 34 Dated: Oct, 29 1954
THE WEST BENGAL LIVESTOCK IMPROVEMENT ACT, 1954
West Bengal Act XXXIV of 1954
An Act to provide for the improvement of livestock in West Bengal.
It is hereby enacted as follows :-
1. Short title and extent. - (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal Livestock Improvement Act, 1954.
(2) It extends to the whole of West Bengal.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-
(a) "adult person" means a person of or above the age of eighteen years ;
(b) "approved bull" means a bull certified as such under section 8 by the Livestock Officer :
(c) "artificial insemination" means the method of breeding whereby semen is collected from the male animal, held under artificial conditions outside the animal body and later introduced into the female animals ;
(d) "bull" means a male bovine animal above the age of two years, which has not been effectively castrated ;
(e) "calf" means a male bovine animal which is not above the age of two years ;
(f) "castration" means rendering a male animal incapable of propagating its species ;
(g) "Collector" means the Collector of the district and includes an Additional Collector or a Deputy Collector to whom the Collector of the district may, by a written order, delegate his powers under this Act;
(h) "dedicated bull" means a bull dedicated to the public in good faith by a person in accordance with any religious custom or usage ;
(i) "Director" means an officer appointed by the State Government as the Director of Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry;
(j) "Livestock Officer" means an officer appointed by the State Government to perform the functions, and to exercise the powers, of a Livestock Officer under this Act ;
(k) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act ;
(l) "specified area" means an area which has been declared as such by notification under sub-section (1) of section 3.
3. Power to specify areas for purposes of the Act. - (1) Where, in respect of any area within the State, the State Government,-
(a) considers that it is desirable to take measures for the improvement of livestock, and
(b) is satisfied that the number of bulls in the area, which are fit to be certified as approved bulls under section 8, is sufficient to maintain the rate of propagation of the species, whether by natural breeding or by artificial insemination or by a combination of both methods,
the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare the area to be a specified area for the purposes of this Act and thereupon the provisions of sections 4 to 25 (both inclusive) shall come into force in such area.
Every such notification shall be published by affixing at each police-station, sub-registry office and union board office within the specified area.
(2) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, cancel at any time a notification under sub-section (1) in respect of the whole or part of any specified area.
(3) The validity of a notification under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall not be called in question in any proceeding before a court or any other authority.
4. No person to bring a bull other than an approved bull in a specified area. - No person may bring into a specified area from any place outside it a bull other than an approved bull.
5. No person to keep any bull in a specified area other than an approved bull. - No person may, on the expiry of three months from the date of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 3, have or keep in his possession, in the specified area, referred to in the notification, a bull other than an approved bull.
6. Duty to notify Livestock Officer. - Every person, who on the date of the issue of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 3, has, in the specified area referred to in the notification, in his possession a bull, shall, within one month of the date of the notification, and every person, who on such date or subsequently has in his possession in such area a calf, shall, within one month of the calf attaining the age of two, give intimation in writing of such possession to the Livestock Officer.
7. Power of Livestock Officer to require production of bull for inspection. - If the Livestock Officer receives from a person in possession of a bull intimation of such possession, or if he has reason to believe that any person in the specified area has in his possession a bull, he may, by order in writing, require such person to produce the bull for his inspection on a date, at a time and at a place within three miles of the residence of such person specified in such order; and such person shall thereupon produce the bull for the inspection of the Livestock Officer on such date and at such time and place, and render the Livestock Officer all reasonable assistance in connection with such inspection.