Superintendent of Slaughterhouse

Superintendent of Slaughterhouse, as mentioned in chapter XXVI of Arthashastra, shall be in charge of providing protection to all the items which belong to the king. He shall punish the person in the first amercement who entraps, kills, or molests deer; bison, birds and fish which are declared to be under State protection or which live in the forests under state protection. Even the villagers who use the forest region for trespassing shall be punished in the middle level amercement.

Superintendent of Slaughterhouse shall further verify different groups of animals which are entrapped, killed or captured by men and impose punishments on them accordingly. As such Arthashastra clearly mentions that when a person entraps, kills or molests either fish or birds that do not prey upon other animals, he shall be fined 26 3/4panas and when he does the same to deer and other beasts, he shall be fined twice as much. In case of beasts of prey which are captured superintendent shall take one -sixth; on fishes and birds he shall take one tenth and on deer and other beasts he shall levy one tenth and even more as tolls. One -sixth of the living animals shall be left in the forests under state protection. The animals which come for man`s use and are beneficial for agricultural produce shall be protected from slaughter and will be left under special state protection. This would include animals like elephants, horses, bulls, ass, as well as water based animals like fishes etc.

Superintendent of Slaughterhouse shall then punish those who violate the said rules. Again in case of any diminution of weight due to misleading weights will invite severe punishment for the seller. Kautilya prohibits the slaughter of cattle which include calf, bull and milch cows; he who slaughters or tortures them shall be levied with fine of 50 panas. Arthashastra also mentions that if the wild beasts which are left in the forests under the state protection turns wild shall be entrapped and even put to death under state permission.

Thus, Superintendent of slaughter house shall take all measures in not only protecting the wildlife in the kingdom but also regularize the system of imposing taxes and toll duties according to their relevance in day to day life.