A shelter for pets is nothing new. But providing one for bovines, particularly those that have either been abandoned/rescued before reaching the slaughter houses in Kerala is fast catching up in this part of the country.
The Shree Bhagwan Mahaveer Gaushala at Myleripalayam Pirivu on Pollachi Road is for instance, one such asylum for bovines. The Gaushala was established in 2000 by the Coimbatore Animal Welfare Society.
It provided thatched shelter to around 30 cows at start. Over the years, this has burgeoned to around 950. Thanks to the District Administration’s intervention in rescuing the cattle that were being transported without authorisation for slaughter to Kerala and handing over the animals to the Gaushala.
Rescued animals apart, the numbers include cows received from various temples authorities and those left by small farmers as well.
Facilities at Gaushala
The Gaushala today provides more than just a shelter for these bovines. Spread over 25 acres, it has 26 cattle shelters (pucca sheds), four cattle yards, two covered dry-fodder godowns, a bird feeding centre and quarters for labourers within its premises.
While calves, cows and bulls are housed in clean sheds, the buffaloes are left in the open, in a walled area with some slush in a corner, for the ones that like to immerse themselves in it.
Dileep Mehta, who has been managing the Gaushala for the last eight years, says he is fighting many court cases on behalf of the Coimbatore Animal Welfare Society against the truck owners from whom some of the cattle have been rescued.
Safe haven for rescued cattle
A walk around the sheds made us realise that the place was more than a safe haven for the rescued cattle. The bovines are fed thrice a day and a veterinarian, just a call away to take care of their health. There was no stench of dung or fly in the vicinity.
Mehta explained that the day for the cattle begins with religious chants played using a public address system, followed by their first meal.
Vice-President of Shree Bhagwan Mahaveer Gaushala, Kailash Jain, said that donations from corporate houses and individuals help maintain the place.
A day’s upkeep of the Gaushala is estimated at Rs 1.35 lakh. “There is an annual increase of 10 to 15 per cent in expenditure, because of the rising cost of the fodder. But money is not a constraint; the problem is in getting committed labour for hygienic maintenance of the Gaushala,’’ says Mehta.
A workforce of about 35 persons have been engaged for maintaining the Gaushala.
To a query on how they dispose the milk and dung, he said that out of the 600-odd cows, less than 10 per cent yield milk. “We make ghee and sell this among the members in 2 kg bottles priced at Rs 600. Our earning from sale of cowdung and milk is around Rs 15 lakh.’’
On future plans, he said: “there is a proposal to manufacture medicines and daily utility products based on Pancha-Kavvya for human, cattle and agricultural use. Our ultimate object is to make this Gaushala self-sufficient with not less than 2000 cows.’’