DHYAN FOUNDATION

It’s being felt that a comprehensive rehabilitation model may help restore the economic value of stray cows and in the process address the emotive aspect of their protection. It is to be seen if state governments will emulate the process. Abandoned on roads for being unproductive, scores of stray cows brought to the government cattle ponds located at villages Burj Powat, Gadolia and Khokhar Kalan in Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Mansa districts of  Punjab  have resumed yielding milk. This has led to poor people of the areas approaching the cattle’s caretakers with the request that they be allowed to take them to their homes with the promise of looking after them. The development is being seen by many in the field as a noticeable opening of a possibility of their rehabilitation in a scenario where the freely roaming hordes of cows are largely being considered a menace for humans. A crude line of thought, that packing them off for slaughtering could be better riddance...

Cow shelters are grappling with problems like lack of fodder, garbage and use of plastics, Yogi Ashwini of Dhyan Foundation said. "The basic problem in all cow shelters is lack of fodder and caring staff. Garbage and plastic, which cows consume cause diseases and high mortality. Because of graft, cattle are sold off to butchers illegally from certain shelters," he told reporters here. "Although government has provided enough gau-shalas, certain corrupt officials do not take proper care and at times, sell off fodder illegally," he said. According to him, Dhyan Foundation has organised for water, glucose, medicines and jaggery to nurse cattle at Hingoni in Jaipur. Green fodder was arranged to feed sick cows as well. The article was published in India Today and Business Standard.