Overcrowded gaushalas impede cattle care

Parveen Arora

Most of the gaushalas in Haryana are overcrowded and dependent on charity and grants. Besides, lack of sufficient space, monetary help, manpower and other facilities and resources for the proper upkeep and sustenance of cattle are a cause for concern. This has been revealed in a study on gaushalas conducted by scientists of the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal based on their track record and data availability. 

There are 578 gaushalas in the state, which accommodate 3.99 lakh head of cattle, while a large number of them still roam on roads, posing a serious threat to the lives of commuters. The scientists believe that the self-sustaining gaushalas can help in managing the stray cattle menace to a great extent.

A team of scientists from the Dairy Economics, Statistics and Management Division of the NDRI comprising Dr Ajmer Singh, project in-charge; Dr ML Kamboj, Dr BS Chandel and Dr AK Chauhan has studied 21 gaushalas, selecting a reputed gaushala in every district, from 2016 to 2019. They have categorised them as small, medium and large and further put them into two categories — ‘A’ that are operated by village communities and ‘B’ that are operated by registered societies.

The scientists have found that the gaushalas generate around 74.2 per cent income from charity by local people, 6.5 per cent from grants, 14.5 per cent from the sale of milk, cow dung, and compost, while 4.8 per cent was miscellaneous income, including rent, equipment hire charges, bull service and others.

Besides, they have found that unwanted males, unproductive, infertile, old and infirm female cattle are abandoned by their owners to fend for themselves, adding to the number in the gaushalas as well as of stray cattle.

Ajmer Singh says that many gaushalas have been serving their purpose fairly well and some of them have grown in size and have diversified and become institutions in their own right. Some of them have got a strong backing and support of local communities, while many others remain marginalised with scarce resources.

He says that for the protection and preservation of cattle, the state government has passed the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and the Gausamvardhan Act, 2015. It has also started various initiatives like the establishment of 40 Gau Abhayaranyas, Gau Sewa Ayog, nandigram for male cattle, Gau Chikitsalya and is now opening gaushalas in jails.

“The Animal Welfare Board of India, civic bodies and the Haryana Gau Sewa Aayog are the major agencies providing grants to gaushalas. However, the availability of grants has been found to be irregular and incomprehensive. The Gau Sewa Aayog supports the gaushalas in the purchase of fodder, and Gopashtmi and provides special grants for specific purposes. The gaushalas require regular grants for sustainability,” he adds. 

Generally, it is believed that a large-sized gaushala is uneconomical, but the study shows that all economic indicators such as receipts and expenditure are better in the case of large gaushalas as compared to smaller ones. The large gaushalas attract more charity mainly because of their reputation and credibility, says Ajmer Singh.

He says that they have assessed the level of animal welfare in these gaushalas using 20 welfare indicators such as housing and other facilities, availability of feed and fodder and performance and behaviour. “It was heartening to find that cattle welfare at the gaushalas being supported by the rural community (type A) was better than the gaushalas being operated by registered societies (type B). “We found that animal welfare was good in 71 per cent gaushalas, average in 19 per cent, poor in 5 per cent and very good in 5 per cent gaushalas,” he says.

Running a gaushala on a continuous basis depends upon its ability to sustain its operations. The over-all sustainability of gaushalas has been evaluated through the calculation of a composite index on the parameters of economic, social and environmental sustainability, he says. Grants given to the gaushalas should be decided on per animal basis and their distribution should be regular. The involvement of gaushalas in community development programmes, such as training and production of bio-products, should be encouraged, he adds. 

Bhani Ram Mangla, Chairman of Haryana Gau Sewa Aayog, admits that the gaushalas are overcrowded. He says that efforts are being made to reduce the head of cattle there. “We are classifying the cattle and shifting bulls to Nandigrams. Sheds are being constructed at various places in the state. To check the stray cattle problem, we have taken the initiative of the Gramin Gausewa Kendra where a group of people will serve stray cattle. A grant of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the group for the construction of sheds, while its members will arrange fodder,” he adds.

In the last three years, they have shifted 1.20 lakh head of cattle to gaushalas and Nandigrams and constructed 255 new gaushalas and Nandigrams in the state, says Mangla.