Cow Sancturies - The Project Concept

 

Objective:

It is proposed to provide natural habitat to the old, infirm and dry cows and progeny in the natural environment of cow sanctuaries. Cow sanctuaries will act as old age home for such cows and progeny which do not find a regular home with the household or goshalas. Cow sanctuaries will also provide cows and their progeny to move around freely rather than living in a cramp, unhygienic, inhuman environment of pinjrapoles and gosadans or on the streets as stray cows.

Land:

State Governments may set apart part of land by a Government Order (G.O) for the purpose of being used as cow sanctuaries and notify it. This could be by:-

Ownership of the land:

In the present concept of cow sanctuaries, the land is neither leased out nor sold or allotted to any individual or organization but is only set apart for the purpose of the specific use of keeping cows in the earmarked area. Thus, the ownership continue with the Government and on ground it is to be managed by the Forest Department or the Revenue officials as the case may be.

Safety of the Area:

The land earmarked for cow sanctuaries will require to be fenced by barbed wire to ensure that the cows live and graze in the earmarked territory and are secure from wild cats. It would be necessary to provide small voltage current to flow through the barbed wires to act as mild shock to the intruders both human and animals.

Drinking Water and Fodder:

Adequate arrangements will require to be made in the earmarked area for drinking water and the fodder. In the initial phase of the project, cows may require to be fed by transporting fodder from outside.

Development of forest/grazing land:

Earmarked land over a period of time will require to be developed in to the forest-cum-grazing land for the cows. This will require plantation of trees of different varieties suited for that area as also developing grazing grass patches of land.

Accounting:

The concerned Government Department which has the jurisdictions over the land will be required to maintain the account of the cows in the sanctuary as also of the fodder received as charity.

Maintenance:

The concerned Department which has the jurisdiction of the land, will be responsible for the maintenance of the sanctuaries and the barbed wire fencing and also for the security and safety as is done in normal course for the forest/game sanctuaries or the fallow land.

Public Charity:

Cow sanctuaries will be allowed to accept charity in kind in the form of fodder, fodder seeds, plantation or forestation. Such contributions will be made on site to the officer in-charge.

Cow Sanctuary Fund:

The Government may set up, a Cow Sanctuary Fund with an initial corpus of Rupees 50 crore specially for maintenance and up-gradation of cow sanctuaries. The contributions to the fund should be open to public and all and should be 100% exempt under the provisions of the Income Tax. The State Government shall utilize these funds only for the cow sanctuaries. The funds may not be utilized towards the salary and other administrative expanses of the staff or even for goshalas/gosadans. The goshalas/gosadans shall sustain on their own by selling milk,dung/urine and self obtained charity.

Cow Dung and Urine:

The cow dung and urine in the cow sanctuary will not be collected, sold or disposed. This will become natural source of fertility to the soil and will help in natural rejuvenation and re-generation of the flora and fauna in the sanctuary. Similarly, on the death of cow, it may not be allowed to take away dead body, the skin or the bones as these are all bio-degradable substance and will degrade into the soil over a period of time.

Veterinary Care:

Once in a month or depending on requirement, the State Government may depute veterinary doctor and staff to visit cow sanctuaries to take care of sick cows and providing medical relief.

De-induction of cows:

In case cows become productive or the community offers to keep in house or goshalas then cows may be allowed to be taken back from cow sanctuaries with proper documentation and on the advise of the Advisory Committee

Visits to cow sanctuaries:

Government may make arrangements for visit of public to cow sanctuaries on payment of prescribed fees. This will help in maintaining links between cows and community and community participation in the project.

Advisory Committees:

The Government may set up Advisory Committees having representation of the State administration, local representatives, local bodies and the voluntary organizations and individuals working for the cow care. These Advisory Committees may work as ombudsman for cow sanctuaries and also help community participation in the cow sanctuary projects.

Project cost and funding:

The project cost would vary for different sites but will mainly comprise of costs of fencing, digging ponds, tube wells, plantations, grazing grass. These activities could be undertaken through SGRY , Wasteland development and fodder development schemes besides the Cow Sanctuary Fund