This Act may be called the Bombay 1[Diseases of Animals] Act, 1948.
(1) This Act extends to the 1[State of Maharashtra].
In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,
(1) The 1[State] Government 2[or the Commissioner in his division] may, notification in the Official Gazette, appoint a person to be a Veterinary Surgeon for the purposes of this Act for such local area as may be specified in the notification and may specify the area within which he shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of a Veterinary Surgeon under this Act.
Every Veterinary Surgeon and every Inspector appointed under this Act shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (XLV of 1860).
(1) The 1[State] Government 2[or the Commissioner in his division] may for the purpose of preventing the outbreak or spread of any scheduled disease by notification in the Official Gazette, prohibit, control or regulate in such manner and to such extent 3[as it or he may think fit]
(1) The 1[State] Government 2[or the Commissioner in his division] may establish quarantine stations for the inspection and detention of animals along the route appointed under sub-section (2) of section 6.
(1) Where an Inspector has reason to believe that any animal is infective he may, by order in writing, direct the owner or person in charge of such animal to keep it where it is for the time being or to remove it or allow it to be removed to such place of isolation or segregation as may be specified in the order :
(1) On receipt of a report under sub-section (2) of section 8 the Veterinary Surgeon shall, as soon as practicable, examine the animal and all animals with which it has been in contact or to which it has been in close proximity, and for this purpose may submit any animal to any prescribed test.
(1) The owner of an animal destroyed under sub-section (2) of section 9 may be paid such compensation as shall be determined in the manner prescribed :
(1) If an Inspector has reason to believe that an infective animal is kept on any land, or in any building or other place he shall, forthwith, by order in writing, of declare such land, building or place to be an infected place. The Inspector shall in deliver a copy of the order to the owner, occupier or person in charge of the infected place and report his action to the Veterinary Surgeon.
(1) Where the Veterinary Surgeon has reason to believe that an infective animal is or has been kept in any place which is owned by or is under the control of or management of any local authority or railway administration or a port authority and in which animals are kept temporarily for purposes of sale, or exhibition or while in transit, he may, by order in writing, declare such place to be an infected place.
13. Power of 1[State] Government to declare infected areas.- (1) On receipt of the report of the Veterinary Surgeon under sub-section (3) of section 11 or sub-section (2) of section 12, the proscribed authority shall, after making such further inquiry as it thinks fit submit such report with his remarks thereon, to the 2[Commissioner concerned.].
(1) Where any area or place has been declared to be an infected area or place under the foregoing provisions, no person shall, while such a declaration remains in force, remove any infected animal, alive or dead, or any part of an animal or any food, bedding or other thing used in connection with an animal, save in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Inspector.
Where any animal or thing referred to in section 14 is removed from an F infected area or place otherwise than in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted under the said section 14, any Inspector or Police Officer may require the owner or person in charge of such animal or thing to take it back to such area or place :
(1) Every vessel or vehicle used by a common carrier for the transport of animal shall be cleansed and disinfected by him at such periods and in such manner as may be prescribed.
Subject to such rules as may be prescribed, the Veterinary Surgeon 1[may] by order in writing, require the owner, occupier or person in charge of any land, building, or other place or of any vessel or vehicle in which an infective animal has been kept to have such land, building, place, vessel or vehicle disinfected, and the internal fittings thereof and other things found therein or near thereto to be disinfected or destroyed in, such manner and to such extent as may be specified in the order.
Subject to such rules as may be prescribed the Veterinary Surgeon may make or cause to be made a post mortem examination of any animal which at the time of its death was infective or is suspected to have been infective, and for this purpose he may cause the carcass of such animal to be exhumed.
Every owner or person in charge of, and every Veterinary practitioner who has been called to treat, an animal which he has reason to believe to be affected with a scheduled disease shall forthwith report the fact to the Inspector having of jurisdiction in the area.
1[19A. Duty of person in charge to isolate infective animals.- Every owner, or person in charge of an animal which he has reason to believe to be affected with a scheduled disease shall keep that animal in a closed space separate from animals not so affected.
No person shall keep or graze in open or unenclosed land to which other persons have a right of access for their animals, any animal which he knows to be infective.
No person shall bring or attempt to bring into any market, fair, exhibition or other concentration of animals, any animal which he knows to be infective.
No person shall place or cause or permit to be placed in any river, lake, canal or other water or in the sea within such distance from the shore, as may be prescribed, the carcass or any part of the carcass of any animal which at the time of its death was infective or which was destroyed on account of its being infective or suspected to be infective.
No person shall without lawful authority disinter or cause to be disinterred the carcass or any part of the carcass of any animal which, at the time of its death was infective or which was destroyed on account of its being infective or suspected to be infective.
Subject to such rules as may be prescribed, an Inspector may enter upon and inspect any land, building or other place or any vessel or vehicle for the purpose of exercising the powers and performing the duties conferred or imposed on him by or under this Act.
(1) Where by any notice, requisition, or order made under this Act or under any rule or notification issued thereunder, any person is required to take any measure or to do anything in respect of any property owned or occupied by him or in charge, a reasonable time shall be specified in such notice, requisition or order within which such measures shall be taken or such things shall be done, as the case may be.
If any question arises under this Act whether or not an animal is an infective animal, the question shall be decided by the Veterinary Surgeon and his decision shall be final.
1[Whoever-
Whoever places or causes or permits to be placed in any river, lake, canal or other water or in the sea within such distance from the shore, as may be prescribed the carcass or any part of the carcass of any animal which at the time of its death was infected or which was destroyed on account of its being infective or suspected to be infective, in contravention of the provisions of section 22 shall, on conviction, be punished, in the case of a first conviction with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees or with both, and in the case of a subsequent conviction with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.
(1) Whoever, being an Inspector or a Veterinary Surgeon, appointed under this Act, vexatiously and unnecessarily enters or inspects any land, building or and other place or any vessel or vehicle or seizes or detains any animal shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both.
All village officers and all officers of the departments of revenue, agriculture and veterinary shall be bound-
1[31. Powers of arrest and seizers.- (1) Any police officer, not below the rank of sub-inspector, may, without an order from a magistrate and without a warrant, arrest any person for whose arrest a requisition has been received from an Inspector or a Veterinary Surgeon, provided that the requisition specifies the person to be arrested, and the offence punishable under this Act in which such person has been concerned.
No Magistrate, other than a Presidency Magistrate, a Magistrate of the First Class or a Magistrate of the Second Class specially empowered in this behalf by the 1[State] Government shall try any offence punishable under this Act.
No person shall except as provided for in section 10 be entitled to any compensation on account of the destruction of any animal or thing under the provisions of this Act or of any loss, injury or inconvenience caused to him by reason of anything lawfully done under this Act.
All officers shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred and imposed on them by or under this Act in accordance with such orders, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as the 1[State] Government may from time to time make.
No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or the rules made under this Act.
(1) The 1[State] Government may make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.
1[37. Power of State Government to add to the Schedule.- The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in the Schedule any disease affecting animals and on the issue of such notification, the Schedule shall be deemed to be amended by the inclusion of the said the disease therein.