DHYAN FOUNDATION

In an attempt to mitigate the acute drought-triggered fodder crisis in Kollegal taluk of Chamrajnagar district, the district administration along with volunteers from non-governmental groups has intensified relief activities by setting up gaushalas and fodder stations in affected settlements. One such gaushala set up by the district administration with the assistance of the department of animal husbandry and veterinary sciences is providing fodder and water to as many as 1,500 cattle in Dantehalli village. This is in addition to fodder stations set up in the nearby Kuratti Hosur panchayat. As of now, six temporary gaushalas and at least 10 fodder stations have reportedly been set up as a temporary relief measure for affected farmers. “We have set up a gaushala in Dantehalli to provide free fodder and water for the cattle of the village. We are also closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis. The additional chief secretary also took stock of the situation on Monday,” ...

With four years of drought on the trot, fodder is hard to come by. Cattle are no longer allowed to forage inside forests after incidents of tree-cutting. Things will only get worse now even though govt says it is setting up gaushalas and providing fodder. Chamarajanagar district’s Kollegal taluk is technically just 142 km from Bengaluru city but the change of scene is so dramatic that you could be in another world. On the parched earth is heartbreaking evidence of a summer that’s turning out to be fatal. Open fields near Kuratti Hosur panchayat, especially the drought-hit Dantehalli, are littered with rotting carcasses of cows that perished due to lack of fodder. Mirror’s team spotted the remains of a goat, five head of cattle and some skeletal remains. A few other animals roamed around looking for food, barely alive in their skeletal and dehydrated state. Rain has been scanty here and while drinking water is available as of now, fodder for livestock has become a big pr...