With concrete gaushalas proving to be unviable, Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu laid the foundation stone of a ₹1.07-crore model gaushala at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University on Wednesday.
Calling the project “the first of its kind”, Ashu said, “It will help other gaushalas run their establishments in a scientific and low-cost manner. It will help improve the cattle breeds in the state, while also offering a solution to the stray-cattle menace.”
It will take eight months to build the model gaushala, whose state-of-the-art building will have a covered cowshed, kuchha area, straw area, calving area, sick unit, feed store, processing unit, biogas plant, vermicomposting pit, organic vegetable area and other facilities.
Ashu was accompanied by mayor Balkar Sandhu, and the vet varsities’ vice-chancellor Inderjeet Singh.
The Cabinet minister said most gaushalas face many challenges, including inadequate resources, lack of trained manpower and veterinarians, besides lack of scientific knowledge regarding feeding, housing, care and management of the animals.
Inderjeet said there are nearly 1.6-lakh stray cattle roaming the roads of Punjab. “Cattle are one of the major reasons for road accidents, damage to crops and forest plantations. Some people let their cows loose after their productive life is over. Moreover, stray animals are usually malnourished and wounded. This project was developed to create a low-maintenance model, which will help generate higher revenue,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Inderjeet said there are nearly 1.6-lakh stray cattle roaming the roads of Punjab. “Cattle are one of the major reasons for road accidents, damage to crops and forest plantations. Some people let their cows loose after their productive life is over. Moreover, stray animals are usually malnourished and wounded. This project was developed to create a low-maintenance model, which will help generate higher revenue,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The gaushalas will demonstrate the actual potential of stray cattle, which can be harnessed in the form of income generation, and genetic improvement of germplasm.