For all the high-octane defence of the “holy” cow by the Sangh Parivar and its affiliate organisations, over 3.5 lakh bovine animals across Madhya Pradesh may end up on the streets due to a lack of financial aid by the state government for the upkeep and maintenance of cattle sheds.
The cow sheds operated by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government are in a pitiable condition even as the cow has raised a political storm across the country.
Also Read: Killing in the Name of Cow Sentiments Unacceptable: Centre to SC
Who Will Fund the Cow Shelters?
Several cattle shed owners in MP said that the funds to maintain such facilities have became a trickle since the BJP came to power at the Centre.
The board provides money for the cow sheds on the basis of the number of animals in each shelter. As per the board’s guidelines, Rs 5 is spent on each cow per day. This means that more the number of cows, the larger will be the share of funds for those shelters.
In Bhopal, there are 27 bovine sheds where more than 7,000 to 8,000 cows are taken care of. The government distributes Rs 60 to Rs 70 lakh annually for these sheds, but a significant number of cows perish every year because of illness, lack of treatment and consumption of plastic.
While the cows in these sheds suffer, there is disproportionate spotlight because of the political hype over the call for ban on their slaughter.
Also Read: Sangh Politicised Cow Worship & Made It a Weapon Against Muslims
Where Are Gau Rakshaks When Cows Die of Hunger and Disease?
While the state government has earmarked Rs 500-600 per cow per year, no funds are provided for maintenance and health care.Ashok Jain, owner of Bhopal’s largest cow shed
Jain also runs an NGO called Jeevdaya Gaurakshan evam Pariyawaran Samvardhan Board.
Jain claimed that since being in this profession from an early age, he has noticed that “each year around 2,000 to 2,500 cows die because of illness, lack of fodder and eating polythene.” These cows would be rounded up by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation or the police and dispatched to various cow sheds in the city.
While the Zila Gaupalan Samardhan Samiti Vice-President Govind Vyas, who also runs a cow shed, has spoken out against the sufferings of the cows, little has been done to ameliorate their suffering.
We have often demanded sanctioning of land for bovine shelters and reviewing the outdated financial support parameters by the state as well as the central governments so that the animals can be saved from dying. Our entreaties have fallen on deaf ears.Govind Vyas, Vice-President, Zila Gaupalan Samardhan Samiti
Vyas added that “the cow sheds are in a pathetic condition when the BJP has been clamouring about cow protection”.
Cow Shelters Fast Going Out of Business
The situation across MP is alarming. In the last two or three years, nine bovine shelters have shut down in Bhopal while several others are on the verge of going out of business as they continue to suffer losses.
It is shameful that only Rs 5 is spent on each cow although an animal consumes fodder and/or grass worth Rs 50 or Rs 60 daily.Prabhakant Tiwari, Manager, Maa Gayatri Gau Shala (Bhopal)
Demands of the Bhopal district cow shed union include:
- Allot fresh lands for cow shelters.
- Subsidise food for the bovines.
- Boundary of dumping yard, so the cows can't eat polythene.
- Security arrangements of the shelters.
When contacted, the chairman of the Gau Samvardhan Board, Swami Akhileshanand, said: “I agree that we have acute lack of funds as well as infrastructure that prevent us from improving our bovine shelters. The supporting money we are offering to the shelters is Rs 5 per cow per day, which is negligible.”
The State Gau Samvardhan Board is a statuary body of Madhya Pradesh Department of Animal Husbandry (MPAHD) specially formed to protect cows. However, the board receives Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore annually from the State Mandi Board instead of the MPAHD.
Swami Akhileshanand said, “We have been demanding an increase in the budgetary allotment for years but the state government does not appear to be serious in addressing the issue. We met the chief minister recently to convey our concerns. He agreed to increase funding to Rs 25 crore so we can spend Rs 10 per cow.”
(The writer is a Bhopal-based freelance journalist. He can be reached @MallickKakvi.)
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