BMC to build new shelter to house 3,000 cattle in Jamukoli
Bhubaneswar: In a move to address the cattle menace on city roads, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will set up a new shelter at Jamukoli on the outskirts here.
The planned facility, which can accommodate 3,000 heads of cattle, will span over 17 acres and will be integrated with BMC’s existing bovine shelter at the same location, officials said. They said the shelter will adopt the successful cattle care management practices from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar‘s ‘Art of Living’ ashram in Bengaluru.
“Land has been identified for the project, and the planning will be presented at the corporation meeting. The cattle shelter will have a dedicated veterinary hospital and a food storage facility, besides dedicated doctors and staff for regular check-ups, upkeep of the sprawling premises, and taking care of hygiene of the animals,” said BMC deputy commissioner Ranjan Behera.
He said stray cows caught from the streets will be brought directly to the shelter, without waiting for the owners to claim them. “In further stringent measures, even if an owner comes to claim a cow caught from the road, it will be treated as stray and won’t be returned. Cattle will be kept under BMC custody at the goshala,” said BMC additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahu.
The existing facility at Jamukoli, spread over five acres, now houses close to 650 heads of cattle. It has all the basic facilities that a shelter requires, BMC officers said. “We witnessed how cows are reared and hygiene is maintained at the cow shelter in the Bengaluru ashram. Also, they have regular visits from vets, and the sheds are climate-friendly,” Sahu added.
Stray cattle often occupy the middle of the main roads in the capital city and don’t move until people come out of their cars and make an effort to drive them away. As a result, traffic jams become a regular sight. Small accidents, such as cattle hitting vehicles and vice-versa, occur routinely.
A shortage of proper food compels stray cattle to eat leftover food at garbage points, where they are mostly found. Since their presence on streets and markets leads to mostly traffic jams and accidents, the BMC is creating mega shelters. BMC officials said that despite best care and proper food, it is estimated that around 30 heads of cattle will die daily, which is about 1% of the total population at the proposed shelter.
The planned facility, which can accommodate 3,000 heads of cattle, will span over 17 acres and will be integrated with BMC’s existing bovine shelter at the same location, officials said. They said the shelter will adopt the successful cattle care management practices from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar‘s ‘Art of Living’ ashram in Bengaluru.
“Land has been identified for the project, and the planning will be presented at the corporation meeting. The cattle shelter will have a dedicated veterinary hospital and a food storage facility, besides dedicated doctors and staff for regular check-ups, upkeep of the sprawling premises, and taking care of hygiene of the animals,” said BMC deputy commissioner Ranjan Behera.
He said stray cows caught from the streets will be brought directly to the shelter, without waiting for the owners to claim them. “In further stringent measures, even if an owner comes to claim a cow caught from the road, it will be treated as stray and won’t be returned. Cattle will be kept under BMC custody at the goshala,” said BMC additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahu.
The existing facility at Jamukoli, spread over five acres, now houses close to 650 heads of cattle. It has all the basic facilities that a shelter requires, BMC officers said. “We witnessed how cows are reared and hygiene is maintained at the cow shelter in the Bengaluru ashram. Also, they have regular visits from vets, and the sheds are climate-friendly,” Sahu added.
Stray cattle often occupy the middle of the main roads in the capital city and don’t move until people come out of their cars and make an effort to drive them away. As a result, traffic jams become a regular sight. Small accidents, such as cattle hitting vehicles and vice-versa, occur routinely.
A shortage of proper food compels stray cattle to eat leftover food at garbage points, where they are mostly found. Since their presence on streets and markets leads to mostly traffic jams and accidents, the BMC is creating mega shelters. BMC officials said that despite best care and proper food, it is estimated that around 30 heads of cattle will die daily, which is about 1% of the total population at the proposed shelter.
