21 cows die at govt cattle shelter in Kurukshetra

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, July 7

As many as 21 cows have died since May 1 allegedly due to poor conditions at the government-run gaushala at Mathana village in the district.

In the last few days, videos of the alleged negligence were made viral on the social media alleging the cows had died due to unavailability of fodder and water. 

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However, the district administration and the local panchayat have denied that the animals died due to starvation or poor upkeep at the gaushala.

Kiran Bala, sarpanch, blamed self-styled animal rights activists and a former president of another gaushala in the district for spreading scandalous information against the panchayat to grab the panchayat land for their own organisations.

She also blames a section of media by running “distorted” news on cow deaths.

“Open land just next to the gaushala is ‘Hadda-rodi’ (dumping yard for dead animals) for four villages in the vicinity. Videos and photos are being circulated on TV channels and social media claiming carcasses to be of cows of this gaushala,” she said.

She vehemently denied claims that cows died due to starvation.

“No media person has approached me for comment and I have not spoken to any journalist till this evening on cow deaths. Spell of showers last week had indeed caused havoc to the ailing cows and the administration is working to improve conditions here,” she said.

Dr Dharminder Kumar, deputy director, Animal Husbandry department, said of all the animals that died, nearly 15 were left at the cowshed by another gaushala without informing the panchayat.

He said panchayat of Mathana had provided seven-and-a-half-acre for the gaushala. A total of 616 stray cows, bulls and calves found in Thanesar municipality were rehabilitated at the gaushala since it started on May 1.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Dharamvir Singh said the facility was being run with the active support of panchayat.

Last week’s rainfall turned the gaushala into a swampy land and the administration is temporarily shifting the animals to another gaushala till arrangements are improved, said the ADC.

“Post-mortem examination of all the dead animals was conducted and in most cases cause of death was found to be infection caused by plastic bags in their digestive tract. Rescued animals were very weak and they all were vaccinated,” claims the ADC.