An Act to provide for the prevention, control and eradication of infectious and contagious diseases affecting animals, for prevention of outbreak or spreading of such diseases from one State to another, and to meet the international obligations of India for facilitating import and export of animals and animal products and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS economic losses due to infectious and contagious diseases of animals are enormous in the country with some of these diseases constituting a serious threat to the public;
AND WHEREAS many of such animal diseases can be largely prevented by judicious implementation of vaccination programmes or by taking other appropriate and timely measures on scientific lines;
AND WHEREAS such measures are necessary to facilitate the import and export of animals and animal products and to keep in tune with international practices; AND WHEREAS it has been realised that the prevention, control and eradication of infectious and contagious diseases of animals from India has to be tackled on a national basis so as to avoid adverse impact of such diseases on the economy of the country and for this purpose harmonise the control procedures and to prevent inter-State transmission of animal diseases; AND WHEREAS the national level handling has to be done with the active involvement of the State Governments, particularly in regard to the precautionary measures required tobe taken within their jurisdiction in respect of certain infectious and contagious diseases and the regulation of movement of animals outside their respective areas by timely adoption of appropriate measures; AND WHEREAS India is a Member Country of the Office International Des Epizooties, Paris and it is necessary to implement the general obligations, decisions and recommendations of the said Organisation and abide by the International Animal Health Code stipulated by the said Organisation; BE it enacted by Parliament in the Sixtieth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
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