Seers stresses need for preserving indigenous breeds of cattle

Raghaveshwara Swami of Ramchandrapura Mutt has lamented that the government is destroying native breeds of cattle. Addressing the gathering at an event to mark Mangala Go Yatre at Basaveshwara High School grounds here on Monday, the seer said, the cross breeds have endangered the indigenous breeds of cattle.

"The farmers should stop using tractors to plough the fields. Earthworms and many organisms, which would enhance the soil fertility and thereby the yield, are being destroyed by tractors. Even Albert Einstein had once told Nobel Laurate C V Ramana that Indians should avoid using tractors and instead take to ancient tradition of ploughing. Thereby they should the show the world path to survive, Einstein had told Raman in a letter. But sadly the governments and the scientists here refuse to learn the simple and effective lessons of the past, the seer lamented.

Robert Clive, a civil servant of East India Company, was aware of the fact that the country can be destroyed by destroying the native breeds of cows. To further his and British cause, he set up the first slaughterhouse in the country. By the time, the British left India, the number of slaughterhouses in India rose to 360.. In about 100 to 150 years, as many as 30 crore cattle heads were slaughtered. These days, the number of illegal/unauthorised slaughterhouses is three times more than the authorised ones, the seer rued.

According to the facts and figures furnished by Dehradun-based Soil Testing and Research Centre, India is losing 5,334 million tonnes of soil a year due to erosion. About 14.4 tonnes of soil is lost per hectare because of erosion, overuse of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides, the Ramachandrapura Mutt seer said. Siddaganga Mutt seer Siddalinga Swami said that there is a need to preserve the native breeds of cows and this can be done by holding awareness campaigns.

Atavi Shivalinga Swami of Chikkathottlukere, Shivananda Shivacharya Swami of Hiremutt, Shivarudra Shivacharya of Ankanahalli Mutt among others were present.