CM Revanth calls for comprehensive cow protection policy

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to formulate a comprehensive policy for cow protection in Telangana state and to establish state of the art cow shelters in four strategic locations.

A three member official committee has been appointed to conduct an in depth study on the establishment of cow shelters (goshalas) and to visit other states to examine their cow protection policies. The committee comprises Special Chief Secretary to the Animal Husbandry Department, Sabyasachi Ghosh; Principal Secretary to the Endowments Department, Shailaja Ramaiyar; and Secretary of the state Agriculture Department, Raghunandan Rao.

With the objective of protecting cows and alleviating their difficult living conditions, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ordered officials to construct modern cow shelters in four places across the state. These facilities will be established on sizable areas in Vemulawada, a famous temple town where devotees donate calves as part of the ‘Kode Mokku’ ritual; Yadagirigutta; Yenkepally near Hyderabad city; and at the Animal Husbandry university in the first phase.

During a review of cow protection efforts, the Chief Minister emphasised that the new policies should primarily focus on cow protection, given the cultural significance of cows and the sentiments of devotees. The Chief Minister expressed anguish over the high number of cow deaths among those donated in large numbers by devotees to cow shelters, attributing these losses to space constraints and other issues.

The Chief Minister suggested that special attention should be paid to the protection of calves donated with utmost devotion by pilgrims. He instructed officials to establish a cow shelter sprawling over 100 acres of land at Vemulawada.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy made it clear that the state government is prepared to spend liberally on cow protection. During the meeting, officials submitted an approach paper related to the management of cow shelters to the Chief Minister.