KOLKATA: The Centre's notification banning the sale of cattle for the purpose of slaughter has triggered panic and outrage in the meat and leather industry in West Bengal.Though livestock regulation is a state subject, which means it is the prerogative of the state to implement the directive, and the Trinamool Congress government has often opposed the Centre's "meddling" in people's food habits, the alarm is primarily because the leather and meat industries generate lakhs of livelihoods in Bengal."Everyone is aware of the state government's stand. The government at the Centre cannot take decisions unilaterally. This is an attack on the federal structure," said senior Trinamool leader and education minister Partha Chatterjee. Another minister, Javed Khan, said, "We are against illegal cattle slaughter . It would have been better if those who have banned beef had come out with a white paper. Leather industry across the country will take a hit because of this decision."Close to one lakh people are directly engaged with the 500 leather tanneries situated in the Bantala leather Complex on Basanti Highway. Throughout the state, the industry generates almost 10 lakh jobs. According to the Council for Leather Exports, the turnover of the leather industry in the state is around Rs 13,000 crore and the quantum of exports of leather and allied products is Rs 5,500 crore. As much as 15% of India's total leather export is from Bengal. In Kolkata and its suburbs itself, more than 2 lakh people are associated with the meat trade. According to Calcutta Beef Dealers' Association, more than 15 lakh people are associated with the farm-to-fork supply chain of bovine meat trade. According to Kolkata Municipal Corporation sources, about 1 lakh kg of beef is consumed every day in Kolkata and south Bengal districts from the abattoirs in Tangra and Metiabruz. "This new notification threatens to hit lakhs of livelihoods in the state. Many people will be rendered jobless overnight," said Mohammad Ali, president of Calcutta Beef Dealers' Association.The new notification under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, drafted by the Union ministry of environment and forests, bans the sale at cattle markets of bulls, cows, bullocks, buffaloes, steers, heifers, calves and camels for slaughter. It also stipulates that cattle can be sold only to farmers."The new livestock regulation is going deal a big blow to the leather trade in the state," said Ramesh Juneja, the eastern region chairman of council for leather exports and the president of the Calcutta Leather Complex Tanners' Association. "We will lose out to neighbouring countries like China, Pakistan and Bangladesh if we are unable to cater to the foreign markets," said Juneja.An official at the animal husbandry department, who did not want to be identified, said the Centre's notification will in the long run adversely affect thousands of dairy farms in the state."Thousands of dairy farmers buy new cattle by selling old, non-lactating cows for slaughter. Since there is a good demand in the market, it fetches them good money which they use in purchasing younger animals for milk," he said.The Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO) condemned the new notification. "The new rules will disrupt the meat supply chain and the net losers will be farmers, as they will need to sell to middlemen who aggregate cattle and take them to slaughter houses. The decision will also adversely impact the revenue-earning and employment-generating leather and leather products industry. Government must take a relook at this issue," said FIEO regional chairman Nari Kalwani.

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