Cattle dying natural death: BJP MLA on death of cows in UP

In the backdrop of public hue and cry over the deaths of cows at a cow-shelter in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district, BJP MLA Ajay Singh on Tuesday said most of the deaths are from natural causes, adding that there is no laxity on the part of government to provide shelter and fodder to cattle.

"Every animal has a life span. Human beings have a life span of 100 years while cattle's life is for 20 years. Even those cattle that are taken care of very well live for 12-13 years. There is much outcry but most of the cattle have died a natural death," he said.

Singh also demanded accident services to be put in place for cattle.

"I had demanded from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that ambulance services should be started for animals similar as we have an ambulance for human beings. Animals are meeting accidents on road, on Highways," he said.

Locals in Barabanki's Safdarganj on Monday alleged that some cows at a cow shelter died due to lack of fodder and water and poorly maintained the shelter.

"We do not get proper fodder for cattle. No sufficient funds provided for the upkeep of the shelter. Around two to three cattle have died due to miserable conditions of shelter," a worker at the cow shelter had said.

However, Barabanki District Magistrate denied allegations of lack of funds and fodder-water in the shelter.

"The matter will be investigated and if found true then strict action would be taken. But as far as I know, there is no lack of fodder-water at any cow-shelter," he said.

Last month, over a dozen cows allegedly starved to death in Jalalabad cow shelter of Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj district, triggering protests by locals outside a cow shelter.

Following this, Adityanath had held a meeting with the officials of Gau Seva Aayog and Animal Husbandry Department in Lok Bhavan to discuss the issue of stray cattle in the region.

He had instructed the officials to ensure that all the cow-sheds are self-reliant in order to combat the menace.

The Chief Minister had also announced that the government will give Rs 30 on a daily basis for each cattle for the fodder if the owners are not using them for commercial purpose. He instructed the officials to take this plan as a pilot project in the Bundelkhand region.