In order to ensure safety and avoid loitering of destitute cattle on the roads of Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has instructed all district magistrates to take destitute cattle to the existing shelters and ensure arrangement of green fodder and periodic health check up for the cattle.
The district magistrates have also been asked to ensure necessary action for cow protection on priority.
It is worth mentioning here that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been continuously receiving complaints about the increase in the number of destitute cattle on the roads across the state.
Subsequently, Chief Minister Yogi has cautioned the officials about the issue. An improvement was lately seen in the situation and now the Yogi government has given instructions to expedite the work to ensure that there are no destitute animals on the roads.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials during a high-level meeting to ensure proper arrangement and care for destitute cattle. For this, he has instructed officials to increase the number of cattle shelters across the state.
Currently, 6,889 shelter facilities are operational across the state for the protection of destitute cattle, out of which 6,346 are in rural areas and 543 are in urban areas. These shelters are currently taking care of 1,182,949 destitute cattle.
The chief minister has issued orders to prepare and present a comprehensive plan for expanding cattle shelter facilities in the state. The plan is to be presented in the cabinet for approval of the budget for setting up of shelters.
He has also emphasised the need to strengthen the financial and administrative management of cattle shelter facilities, aiming to improve their overall conditions.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Yogi has asked officials to get Napier grass planted by geo-tagging the pasture land and freeing it from encroachment, to ensure the provision of green fodder.
Additional Chief Secretary (Animal Husbandry) Dr Rajneesh Dubey revealed that in line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s intent, appropriate arrangements are being made for the well-being of as many destitute cattle as possible in animal shelters. This includes the restoration of damaged cattle sheds in both rural and urban areas, along with establishment of ‘khadanja interlocking systems’. Additionally, the government is also considering increasing the wages of labourers working in these shelters.
Moreover, there is a strong emphasis on updating all information related to shelter facilities on the portal. This update will provide a clear understanding of the number of destitute cattle protected in each shelter and its potential for safeguarding more cattle breeds.
Additionally, district officials will regularly inspect shelter sites to assess the actual situation. Officials will also identify high-risk areas for destitute cattle. These include urban markets and riverbanks, among others.