Inquiry marked into death of cattle at Mohali gaushala

Tribune News Service
Mohali, March 14

In case of death of as many as 280 cows in the past two months at gaushala here, Mohali Municipal Commissioner Bhupinder Pal Singh marked an inquiry today following directions of Punjab Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, also the local MLA.

Sidhu, who inspected the ‘gaushala’ today, termed the development very serious. “It could also turn out to be a big scam as no record of animals is being maintained here,” said Sidhu. The minister added that if needed, he would order a high-level inquiry into the matter.

“It’s quite shocking that members of Gauri Shankar Gau Sewa Samiti, which runs the ‘gaushala’ affairs, claim that such big number of animals have died due to the foot and mouth disease in a short span while officials of the MC are ignorant about it. This indicates a big scam. Nobody will be spared if found guilty,” said Sidhu.

“I have marked an inquiry by Joint Commissioner with directions to submit report within two days,” said Bhupinder Singh, Mohali Municipal Commissioner.

Meanwhile, Mohali Deputy Mayor Manjit Singh Sethi has written to Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, and Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, demanding to book guilty officials.

Sethi claimed that as per certain documents of the sewa samiti the total number of animals was 941, but in counting 795 cows were found at ‘gaushala’ today. “Where have 146 cows gone now?” said Sethi.

He alleged that either cows had died due to negligence of officials of the sewa samiti and the MC or were sold out.

On the other hand, Gauri Shankar Sewa Samiti president Ramesh Kumar claimed that cows had died due to the foot and mouth disease, which spread from some animals, which civic body officials had brought to ‘gaushala’ from outside.

He claimed that officials of the MC were timely informed about the disease, but nobody bothered then.

Notably, as many as 138 cows died in February and 141 in January this year. In the past one-a-half-year, nearly 550 cattle had died at the ‘gaushala’.