PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TRASHES CLAIM OF FORMER CHAIRMAN OF GAU SEWA COMMISSION REGARDING DEATH OF 180 COWS DUE TO NON AVAILABILITY OF FODDER AND MEDICINES DURING LOCKDOWN  

Chandigarh: Brushing aside the media reports citing former Chairman of Punjab Gau Sewa Commission Kimti Lal Bhagat’s statement regarding death of 180 cows housed in guashalas and cattle pounds in the state due to non availability of fodder and medicines during lockdown, a spokesperson of the Punjab Government outrightly termed these reports factually incorrect, ill-conceived and baseless.
 
Reiterating State Government’s firm Commitment to ensure proper maintenance of gaushalas amid lockdown/curfew due to COVID-19, the Spokesperson said that when contacted by the government officers of the concerned department, Bhagat could not specify the number of deaths in specific gaushalas across the state and shrugged off saying he received this information from some people.
 
Pertinently, during the ongoing wheat harvesting season, there is cheap and abundant supply of Turi due to state’s large area under wheat cultivation. The Spokesperson further pointed out that all the concerned government departments are coordinating with Gaushalas to make available green fodder, turi as well as medicines as per requirements of individual gaushala.
 
The Spokesperson further stated that regular reports are being collected from all districts to regularly monitor the situation in gaushalas and cattle pounds, which is quite satisfactory during lockdown due to facilitation of movement of feed, fodder, medicines besides keeping all veterinary institutions in the state open for taking care of the livestock as well as stray animals. He said that there was no dearth of required medicines for Gaushala animals and even stray animals are being treated, wherever necessary. The government official are also involved in arranging green fodder even for stray animals.
 
The Spokesperson further said that there were  approximately 1,85,000 cattle in Gaushalas and government cattle pounds in the state, which are being properly taken care of. Necessary passes are issued not only to Gaushalas management and manpower, but also to donors who wish to go to Gaushalas to make donations of cash or kind including fodder. At several places, farmers are also contributing enormously through donation of turi to nearby gaushalas.
 
It may be recalled that in the current budget of 2020-21, the Punjab Government les by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh approved a scheme for providing assistance to cattle pounds to the tune of Rs. 25 crores. The Punjab Gau Sewa Commission has been revamped with the appointment of Chairman, Vice Chairman and members to effectively implement Government policies and programmes for due care of unproductive cows in the state.