Himachal to expand cow shelter homes in 11 districts

Shimla : The Himachal Pradesh government plans to set up animal cow sanctuaries or ‘gausadans’ in eleven districts of the state except Lahaul Spiti district to provide shelter to stray cattle.

The state animal husbandry minister Virender Kanwar said today tithe animal husbandry departments plans opening cow sanctuaries at  Kotla Barog in District Sirmour, Handa Kundi in District Solan, Kheri in District Hamirpur, Thana Kalan Khas in District Una, Indora-Damtal, Kudan-GP-Badsar-Palampur, Kangaihan-Jaisinghpur and  Luthan (Jawalamukhi) indistrict district Kangra. Barota-Dabwal, Tehsil Shree Naina Devi in district Bilaspur,  Dhar-Tatoh, Tehsil Sadar in district Bilaspur.

The maximum four Cow sanctuaries will be set up in the state’s most populous district Kangra district at Indora (Damtal), Kudan-(Palampur), Kangaihan (Jaisinghpur) and Luthan (Jawalamukhi).

He said that the civil works of boundary wall for a Big Gosadan Bain Attarian, (being run by temple trust), at a cost of Rs. 77,90,000 is being carried out to enhance the carrying capacity of this Gosadan from existing  250 to 1000.

A target has been fixed that at least one cow sanctuary will be set up  in each district except Lahaul Spiti  while four cow sanctuaries will be set up  in bigger districts like Kangra where the number of stray cattle is high.

The Minister said at present three cow sanctuaries and two big Gosadans are under construction in Sirmour, Solan, Una, Hamirpur and Chamba Districts.

He added that construction work on all above five cow sanctuaries is in final stage and will be completed by the end of this year.

Kanwar said that the population of stray cattle in the state on roads presently is 27,352 and while 13,337  cattle are being reared in  existing Gosadans and Gaushalas .

The Minister said that the state government will generate funds for running these cow sanctuaries through 15 per cent net income of temple trusts and other resources to meet day to day expenditures.

The state government is also providing financial assistance to NGOs,gram panchayats and other local bodies for running smart Gaushallas under PPP mode by providing financial assistance to these organizations.

The capacity of each cow sanctuary will depend on the size of land availability in respective district and state govt will use cow dung,urine for biogas plants, power generations and make other daily use products for sale in the open market to generate additional funds for these cow sanctuaries.

The services of veterinary doctors ,grass ,fodder will be made available in each cow sanctuary to meet the basic needs of stray cows being reared in cow sanctuaries.