Police, cow protection groups at wits’ end over rescued animals
PROBLEMS GALORE Cow shelters have refused to take the animals because of lack of space, funds
DHANBAD: Police and cow protection groups in Jharkhand’s coal belt are at their wits’ end over the welfare of hundreds of bovines seized from alleged cattle smugglers after the local cow shelters refused to take the animals because of lack of space.
The cows have been dumped on two police stations on the interstate Grand Trunk road under the open sky with little fodder and continuous spells of rain. In just the past three days, 159 cows and calves have been rescued, sources said.
Veterinary doctors fear the cows and calves may not survive in this inclement condition if they are not rehabilitated soon.
Officer in-charge of Nirsa police station Rameswer Upadhyay has informed the district administration and state agriculture minister Randhir Singh said on Monday that reports were sought from the district administration and proper rehabilitation will be undertaken.
There are three cow shelters - Katras, Jharia in Dhanbad and Chas in Bokaro -- in the region and all of them are reportedly overcrowded.
Katras has a capacity of 700 to 800 but at present 1,650 cows and calves are housed. Jharia has a capacity of 400 but under the pressure of police and cow protectors, it has 630 cows at present.
“There’s a lack of space, we cannot put one cow on top of another,” Kuwarji, the manager of Katras Gaushala.
He further added that arranging fodder for additional cows has created a major financial problem.
Nirsa police on Sunday seized 12 cows and calves from two pick-up vans near the Jharkhand –Bengal border.
Earlier on Friday on the directive of the city superintendent of police Ansuman Kumar, the officials of the Society for Protection of Cruelty to Animal (SPCA) rescued 147 animals including 56 cows, 46 calves, 29 buffalo and 16 calf laden in 10 trucks.
Since the cow shelters refused to receive them, police dumped them at a khatal (cow shed) in the Kauwa Bandh village till permanent arrangement was made for them.
“Last month police seized over 300 cows in Bokaro district in which 82 were sent to Jharia Gaushala and 78 at Katras remaining at Chas Gaushala. But no grant has been given to us for their fodder. How will we manage?” said a cow-shelter manager.
Last month police seized over 300 cows in Bokaro district in which 82 were sent to Jharia Gaushala and 78 at Katras remaining at Chas Gaushala. But no grant has been given to us for their fodder. How will we manage? MANAGER, cow-shelter