Govt. issues elaborate SOP for jallikattu 2025

The State government has issued an elaborate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed to ensure the safe conduct of Jallikattu events in 2025. 

The State government has issued an elaborate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed to ensure the safe conduct of Jallikattu events in 2025.  The responsibilities of the district administration, animal husbandry, revenue, health, public works, police and fire and rescue services departments besides that of the organising committees, bull owners and the tamers have been spelt out in the SOP circulated to all District Collectors.

The SOP has been issued to be followed by officials, organisers under the overall supervision and control of the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services and the Animal Welfare Board of India.

Jallikattu is conducted from January, coinciding with the Pongal festivities, and goes on till May. One of the points to be strictly enforced is that permission should be given only for those events that are proposed to be conducted in the manner prescribed under Section 3 (2) of Tamil Nadu Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikattu) Rules, 2017.  On no account, jallikattu events should be permitted to be conducted in places other than those notified by the government.

As per the protocol, causing pain or suffering to the bulls should be strictly avoided. Their safety, security and well-being should be ensured. Organisers who do not have permission from the District Collector should not be allowed to hold the event. All stakeholders should be sensitised about the online registration of events, tamers and bulls. Applications should be processed through the online mode in the web portal newly developed for jallikattu events www.jallikattu.tn.gov.in

The District Collector shall form a committee for jallikattu comprising officials from revenue, animal husbandry, police, health, fire and rescue services and public works department to oversee and ensure that the events are conducted in conformity with the prescribed rules. The Jallikattu Monitoring Committee should issue NOC only after assessing all arrangements and cooperation of organisers.

The revenue department team should inspect the selected venue for sufficient space and safety and ensure that all wells in the vicinity of around 5-km radius of the venue are closed.  They should verify that the event site is located as far as away as possible from human dwellings.

The animal husbandry department officials should examine the location and facilitate the approval of the layout for the proposed venue. The bulls should be compulsorily subjected to examination by the veterinary team. A veterinary team should be deployed in the collection yard to examine and provide necessary medical assistance whenever needed to the bulls that completed the run.