MLAs demand more gaushalas to check rise in stray cattle menace

The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Friday held an extensive discussion on the growing crisis of stray cattle across the state, with members cutting across party lines urging decisive and coordinated action. The issue was brought to the House through a motion under Rule 101 by Paonta Sahib BJP MLA Sukh Ram Chaudhary during the ongoing winter session.

Chaudhary pressed the government to establish more gaushalas, arguing that the expanding population of abandoned cattle has become a significant threat to farmers, motorists and residents. He said unmanaged cattle movement was not just a rural concern but a statewide problem affecting safety, agriculture and daily life.

Responding to the debate, Animal Husbandry Minister Prof Chander Kumar informed the House that Himachal currently operates 15 government-run gaushalas in addition to 260 private shelters. He said the state has incurred an expenditure of Rs 71.98 crore so far, while over Rs 40 crore has been earmarked for cattle management facilities in the current fiscal year. The government has also increased the monthly incentive for maintaining cattle from Rs 700 to Rs 1,200 per head.

The minister acknowledged that despite these efforts, running shelters remains difficult due to high fodder prices, maintenance costs and resource constraints. He stressed that a sustainable solution will require collaboration between panchayats, veterinary services, NGOs and local communities.

MLAs from both sides raised concerns. BJP legislator Reena Kashyap highlighted severe crop destruction and increasing road mishaps caused by stray animals, calling for penalties against livestock abandonment. Congress MLA Kishori Lal sought modern gaushalas in every constituency along with upgraded veterinary facilities. Several other BJP members, including Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Vinod Kumar, Trilok Jamwal, Ranvir Singh Nikka and DS Thakur, echoed the demand for a comprehensive, community-driven approach to tackle the worsening situation.