ZCZC
BSS-09
COWS-HOSTELS
Delhi cows to get hostels, Gaushalas for better living
By Aminul Islam Mirja
NEW DELHI, Jan 10, 2019 (BSS) – In a rare gesture to animal welfare, the
Delhi government has decided to open “PG hostels” for cows, build a Gaushala-
Cum-old age home and tag all pets and cattle with microchips to monitor their
health and identify owners.
The hostels would be opened for cows whose owners do not have space to
keep them while Gaushala-Cum-old age home to be set up where the elderly
would live in the company of cows.
It will also tag all pets and cattle in the city with microchips to
monitor their health and identify owners, besides establishing 272 animal
hospitals, one in each ward, according to media report today.
Unveiling government’s animal health and welfare policy 2018, Development
Minister Gopal Rai said the animal husbandry department was being renamed
Animal Health and Welfare Department to give it a welfare orientation.
The government also plans to open 11 mortuaries with post mortem
facilities, incinerators for disposal of animal carcasses and build more
“Gaushalas”.
It has identified a site in Ghummanhera village, South West Delhi, for a
“Modern, state-of-the-Art” Gaushala-cum-Old age home for the elderly who want
to serve cows, a concept that has made with some success in Gujarat, the
report said.
The policy also calls for birth control programme for monkeys and stray
dogs, in view of monkey menace reported from many parts of the city. New
animal birth control centre to be set up to this end.
The government is planning to open around 33 “Gaushalas” across the city
to give shelter to deserted cows and restructuring the existing five
“Gaushalas” of Delhi with state-of-the art infrastructure and modern design.
There are a total of 76 animal hospitals and clinics in Delhi but most of
them are short of equipment and technologically crippled. It also plans to
establish 24×7 emergency health services for the animals.
BSS/AIM/ARS/1334 hrs