Maharashta govt orders check of condition of livestock

Government to keep a regular check on the condition of animals in gaushalas, Maharashtra's Animal Husbandry Minister Mahadev Jankar

The government of Maharashtra issued orders to concerned officers to make an assessment of the condition of livestock including bullock, cows and buffaloes.

Maharashtra's Animal Husbandry Minister Mahadev Jankar on Tuesday said,"I have ordered the officers to investigate what the matter really is, because what we are thinking for Maharashtra, is that the government will put in efforts to take care of all useful animals like bullocks, cows and buffaloes and keep a regular check on the condition of animals in gaushalas."

"The department has 5,000 hectares of land in Dabchari, so any farmer between Chanda- Banda who feels that his cattle is not in good health, we will help them and be responsible to transport the cattle to the cowsheds and provide them with fodder and take good care of them and send them back to the farmers once they are in healthy condition," Jankar told ANI.

"I also want to inform that some people particularly agents are trying to blame the centre and the state government that is what I have ordered the chief officer of the animal husbandry department to investigate what really the matter is because some people try to do injustice to Muslims and Dalits over such matter, which is not correct. Any person found doing illegal activities will be hooked and action will be taken against them. I have instructed to file a case against those responsible for creating chaos," he added.

Following the death of over a hundred cows in the past few weeks at a government-run cowshed in Hingonia Gaushala, Jaipur there is anger across the nation over the poor condition of the animals. The death of cows was reportedly due to an alleged lapse in maintenance of the cowshed.

Violence in the name of 'gau raksha' rocked Una town of Somnath district in Gujarat last month where, seven members of a Dalit family were allegedly thrashed by a group of gau rakshaks for skinning a dead cow.

Thousands of Dalits gathered in Ahmedabad to protest against the thrashing of Dalit youths in Una.