<p>Many cow shelters (goshalas) established by the state government in 2021-22 are underutilised or have remained empty.</p>.<p>Of the total 48 cow shelters announced by the government, construction of 36 is complete, 9 are under construction and work on the other three has not yet started due to non-availability of land. Government cow shelters house only 1,552 cattle compared to 49,873 cattle in 256 registered private goshalas in the state.</p>.<p>Private cow shelters are started by NGOs, religious institutions and trusts over last two decades. </p>.<p><strong>Purpose defeated?</strong></p>.<p>Animal lovers contended that government cow shelters have failed to serve their purpose as local government bodies have not shifted stray cattle, despite a Supreme Court order last November. </p>.<p>According to the 2019 Livestock Census, Karnataka has approximately 77,000 stray cattle. Animal lovers argue that these stray cattle, particularly in urban areas, ingest large amount of plastic waste from dumpsters, leading to severe health issues and often death and they also pose severe problem to the traffic, resulting in several accidents. </p>.<p>The project to establish goshalas envisages the construction of specialised facilities across all districts to house, feed and care for stray, abandoned and unproductive cattle, following the implementation of the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020.</p>.<p><strong>Stray cattle</strong></p>.Wild elephant tramples auto-rickshaw in Karnataka's Belur.<p>Animal lovers have underscored the urgent need to relocate stray cattle to these goshalas, citing chronic fodder shortages, drinking water scarcity and shrinking grazing land, especially as Karnataka braces for a harsh summer with forecasts of above-normal maximum temperatures in April and May.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The previous government approved Rs 15 crore in 2021 to establish a cow shelter in each district, and an additional Rs 50 crore was earmarked to increase the number of goshalas to 100. However, stray cattle menace has not been addressed despite crores of rupees spent on the cow shelter project. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“Stray cattle often lack access to clean drinking water in summer, leading to dehydration as natural water sources dry up. Therefore, local government bodies should focus on moving these cattle to cow shelters, similar to the measures adopted for setting up dog rehabilitation centers,” said Mahesh Bidarkar, the founder of Sri Madhav Goshala, Kalaburagi. The government has established cow shelters in all districts. It provides financial assistance of Rs 17.50 per cattle per day for the maintenance of abandoned cows in both government and private cow shelters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, Dr Parameshwar Naik B L, Additional Director of the Animal Husbandry Department (State Vigilance and Technical Audit), said that the department will provide shelter only if farmers or local government bodies leave cattle in government goshalas.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The police rescue animals and send them to government-recognised cow shelters. The cow shelters in the coastal region of Uttar Kannada, Udupi, and Mangaluru have around 100-120 cattle because police frequently intercept illegal cattle transportation in these districts. We have appointed adequate staff in addition to supplying fodder and drinking water in the government cow shelters,” he maintained.</p>
<p>Many cow shelters (goshalas) established by the state government in 2021-22 are underutilised or have remained empty.</p>.<p>Of the total 48 cow shelters announced by the government, construction of 36 is complete, 9 are under construction and work on the other three has not yet started due to non-availability of land. Government cow shelters house only 1,552 cattle compared to 49,873 cattle in 256 registered private goshalas in the state.</p>.<p>Private cow shelters are started by NGOs, religious institutions and trusts over last two decades. </p>.<p><strong>Purpose defeated?</strong></p>.<p>Animal lovers contended that government cow shelters have failed to serve their purpose as local government bodies have not shifted stray cattle, despite a Supreme Court order last November. </p>.<p>According to the 2019 Livestock Census, Karnataka has approximately 77,000 stray cattle. Animal lovers argue that these stray cattle, particularly in urban areas, ingest large amount of plastic waste from dumpsters, leading to severe health issues and often death and they also pose severe problem to the traffic, resulting in several accidents. </p>.<p>The project to establish goshalas envisages the construction of specialised facilities across all districts to house, feed and care for stray, abandoned and unproductive cattle, following the implementation of the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020.</p>.<p><strong>Stray cattle</strong></p>.Wild elephant tramples auto-rickshaw in Karnataka's Belur.<p>Animal lovers have underscored the urgent need to relocate stray cattle to these goshalas, citing chronic fodder shortages, drinking water scarcity and shrinking grazing land, especially as Karnataka braces for a harsh summer with forecasts of above-normal maximum temperatures in April and May.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The previous government approved Rs 15 crore in 2021 to establish a cow shelter in each district, and an additional Rs 50 crore was earmarked to increase the number of goshalas to 100. However, stray cattle menace has not been addressed despite crores of rupees spent on the cow shelter project. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“Stray cattle often lack access to clean drinking water in summer, leading to dehydration as natural water sources dry up. Therefore, local government bodies should focus on moving these cattle to cow shelters, similar to the measures adopted for setting up dog rehabilitation centers,” said Mahesh Bidarkar, the founder of Sri Madhav Goshala, Kalaburagi. The government has established cow shelters in all districts. It provides financial assistance of Rs 17.50 per cattle per day for the maintenance of abandoned cows in both government and private cow shelters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, Dr Parameshwar Naik B L, Additional Director of the Animal Husbandry Department (State Vigilance and Technical Audit), said that the department will provide shelter only if farmers or local government bodies leave cattle in government goshalas.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The police rescue animals and send them to government-recognised cow shelters. The cow shelters in the coastal region of Uttar Kannada, Udupi, and Mangaluru have around 100-120 cattle because police frequently intercept illegal cattle transportation in these districts. We have appointed adequate staff in addition to supplying fodder and drinking water in the government cow shelters,” he maintained.</p>
