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We Asked: Should cattle farms be situated only on the outskirts, and should cows be kept outside city areas, thus avoiding letting them roam the urban streets? …
India has developed much more in terms of civic amenities, infrastructure, and quality of life. One major difference that we will find between the world’s best major cities and Indian cities is the co-existence of cattle with humans in the city areas. Only lately, the civic authorities such as municipal corporations have taken care of relocating the cattle outside the city limits. Nevertheless, the endeavour is in its infancy and needs immediate attention from people in general and administrators in particular. The perils of the common man on the street need to be understood because many times severe accidents involving stray cattle and pedestrians have culminated into tragedies and occasionally the cattle themselves got hit by moving vehicles, getting seriously injured. Needless to say, the roads are meant for traffic, not for any bovine but India is a country of religious beliefs, ethnicity, and age-old traditions where the cow is considered sacred. This belief allowed people to keep cows in their homes and living places within the city limits but many of these cattle are left on the road by their owners, who stroll around in search of food, especially in vegetable and fruit markets. We are of the opinion that cows, although believed to be very sacred, have the right to be fed properly in a safe manner and therefore we would like to support the idea of having separate enclosures beyond the city limits where they are properly fed, given medicines and their calves raised, in a safe and secure habitation. Another point worth attention relates to health and hygiene issues for the cow. It has been observed that many stray cattle like cows eat from the garbage and in the process also eat the plastic packaging which later on clogs and chokes the intestines of the poor animals leading to death. Many bovines get injured due to broken glass shards from bottles, pieces of metals, and other toxic substances like paint, etc. Another very crucial point relates to the requirement of space for the cattle. Small houses cannot be the natural habitat of these domesticated animals which require open grazing grounds, natural ponds, and safe enclosures. Considering all these factors, we suggest that for the many reasons stated above stray cows should be shifted to gaushalas (cow shelters), where proper arrangements for their grazing, food requirements, medical facilities, and artificial insemination, antiviral doses and other vector disease related facilities are available. Individuals who own one or two cows should be encouraged to keep their cows in these gaushalas, after paying some reasonable fees which should be allowed by the administrator of the shelter. The produce of these gaushalas such as milk, gaumutra, cow dung, etc. can be streamlined through mechanized livestock management systems on a massive scale in order to utilize these as natural products and sell them in the market. A lot of people are interested in buying pure, uncontaminated, and non-chemical milk and ghee and organic manures such as gobar-ki-khaad etc. -Prof Vibhuti Rai, former Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Lucknow is nature loving person with a specialization on Environment and Habitat; Namrata Singh is a Project fellow in a Council of Science and Technology, Uttar Pradesh sponsored project.
In my opinion cattle farms should be on the outskirts of cities and not in urban areas because if cattle roam on streets, it will be dangerous for the bovines as well as human beings due to accidents by fast moving vehicles on blind turns or sudden unexpected movement of animals. Cattle/cows feel good in natural and open areas where there is little disturbance or interference of human beings so farms on the outskirts will be better for this reason. In the present scenario, it is very difficult to avoid roaming cattle on the streets if it is not banned by law. It will be better if some rules are framed or a government order is issued for keeping the cattle, particularly cows, on the outskirts. If they are found in urban areas, institutions like the Nagar Nigam or animal husbandry department should capture them and leave them in the suburban cattle farms meant for them. To create such cattle farms and gaushala, the organization concerned should be provided land at a nominal cost in the public interest. This visionary step will also stop criticism in social media and different sections of society. Hopefully, the government will take necessary action in the right direction for the betterment of the natural habitat and safety of cattle and cows as it will be better for human beings also to avoid unnecessary accidents in populated areas, thus closing the controversial discussion/criticism on this issue forever. -Anuj Kumar Saxena, retired IFS
The issue of cattle in urban environments is complex, with valid arguments on both sides. Here is a breakdown of the key considerations:
Arguments for banning urban roaming
1) Public health: Animal waste in urban areas poses significant hygiene risks, potentially spreading diseases. The concentration of animals can create unsanitary conditions. Zoonotic disease transmission is a concern.
2)Traffic and safety: Free-roaming cattle can obstruct traffic, leading to accidents. They can also cause damage to property.
3) Environmental concerns: Concentrated animal waste contributes to environmental pollution. Urban environments are not designed to handle the waste produced by large numbers of livestock.
4) Urban sanitation: Cattle roaming freely contributes to unsanitary conditions within urban areas.
Arguments against a complete ban
Cultural and religious significance: In some cultures, particularly in India, cows hold religious significance and their free-roaming has historical and cultural roots.
Livelihoods: Many individuals rely on urban cattle for milk production and their livelihood.
Small-scale farming: In some urban areas, small-scale farming is important for food production.
Key considerations: Effective waste management systems are crucial, regardless of where cattle is located. Regulations and enforcement are necessary to ensure animal welfare and public safety. Finding a balance between cultural practices and public health is essential. In conclusion, while there are strong arguments for limiting cattle presence in densely populated urban areas, particularly concerning public health and safety, cultural and economic factors must also be considered. A well-regulated approach, with a focus on hygiene and safety, is likely the most practical solution.- Manoj Kumar Chaturvedi, a bank employee, and animal activist, Lucknow, UP
No doubt cattle, like cows and buffaloes, are very useful for society being the source of milk and in turn, ghee, butter, cheese, curds, sweets and so many other products that are required in every household. As of now, these are more demanding in cities than in rural areas so cattle farming is drawing close to cities. But when we weigh the pros and cons, we find that the natural abode of these animals is rural areas, with pastures and natural greenery. A huge quantity of water is required for them which is easily available in rural areas in ponds and lakes. Cattle farming is, like agriculture, the subject matter of farmers so must be practiced in rural areas and not in the city. When the cows and other cattle come on urban streets, they become a menace to the public. They come in the way of the fast life of the city and many a time they collide with fast-moving vehicles resulting in accidents, injuries, and damage. Their herds slow down the pace of fast traffic. They make the streets dirty. Many times, they enter the green belt and parks to spoil their beauty. They also occupy a vast space in crowded cities shortening the livable space. Livestock keeping is harmful to the urban environment and public health. Cattle kept in intensive systems may be infected and dung left to decompose in compounds and on the roadside may act as a source of harmful bacteria to humans besides emitting a bad odour. Tuberculosis, worms, and tetanus can be contracted in dense urban areas in this way. Animals are also prone to eating plastic and heavy metals in urban areas, which are a threat to them as well as humans in turn. Intensification of livestock in urban areas can increase methane emissions and other greenhouse gases which have an adverse impact on global warming. Thus, it is always advisable to keep the livestock in rural areas or at the most, on the outskirts of the city. -VP Srivastava, Member Commercial Tax Tribunal (Retd), President C-CARBONS
The increase in cattle farms and their spread into cities and towns is due to an exponential increase in the consumption of milk and milk products. Originally, milk production and distribution were based in rural dairy farms. This was mainly because of the need for large open spaces for cattle to graze and live in. As demand for dairy farms increased and transportation costs to and from rural areas to cities also went up, it became commercially viable to establish dairies inside cities. This came with challenges in animal welfare and the maintenance of hygiene. With a lack of open spaces, milch cattle are restricted to chains for their entire lifetime. With the natural cycle of pregnancies being disrupted, dairy owners depend more and more on artificial insemination and injecting oxytocin to increase milk flow. This leads to the deterioration of milk quality. Handling cattle waste is easier in open fields than in commercial dairies, especially unregulated dairies, as we see in cities. Thoughtless disposal of cattle waste causes an alarming negative environmental impact. In urban dairies, drainage should be designed suitably at an expense, which is almost never the case. Along with this, foul odour and noise can be very disruptive in urban areas. Plenty of water is needed for farm operations like washing, drinking, and fodder cultivation. In cities, water supply is never enough. Labour cost on farms becomes very high in urban areas. Therefore, from all aspects, it is more prudent to restrict dairies only to rural areas. At the cost of raised prices of milk and milk products, we can also expect that people will move more towards a milk-free diet, culminating in a further cruelty-free world. -Shakuntala Majumdar, President, CPCA Thane
A cattle farm is a place where cattle are raised for milk, meat, and labour. I do believe that cattle farms should be situated only on the outskirts due to the following reasons:
1. Availability of proper space: In cities, there is a shortage of space to build cattle farms. In cities, due to increased population, we have residential and commercial areas. To accommodate people living in cities becomes the prime responsibility instead of having a cattle farm. So, a cattle farm on the outskirts will be a good idea to provide sufficient space for the animals.
2. Easy to get dedicated staff: In cities, it becomes difficult to get dedicated staff to look after the animals. On the outskirts, dedicated staff can live with family and take due care of the cattle.
3. Less absenteeism of staff: A great concern for cattle farm owners in cities is the absenteeism of staff looking after the animals but when their family is living with them on the outskirts, there will be no problem.
4. Provision of proper facilities: In cities, proper facilities cannot be provided to cattle but cattle farms on the outskirts can provide better and proper facilities to cattle like grazing in open fields.
5. Veterinary doctors attached to cattle farms: In cities, veterinary doctors are quite busy with their practices. They cannot deal with the medical problems of cattle at short notice but a veterinary doctor dedicated to each cattle farm on the outskirts can solve this problem and provide immediate medication.
I firmly believe that cows should not be allowed to roam in the city due to the following reasons:
1. They are deprived of proper facilities like food, shelter, due care, and baths.
2. There is a high risk of accidents due to cows roaming on roads, especially at night and even during the day.
3. Medical treatment becomes a problem as there is no one to monitor the health of the animals roaming the streets.
4. There is no one to look after the needs of cows on the roads.
5. It is a problem to clean the roads as cows make them dirty from time to time. Apart from that, the stink from their excreta is also very disturbing.
In India, cows are worshipped so we should think of them and arrange for cattle farms on the outskirts. Those who wish to feed them can visit the farms. But they should be banned on roads, in their interest as well as those of people. -Deepali Bahadur, entrepreneur and proprietor of DB’Owns
The plight of stray cows, bulls and calves in urban India is well known. However, I have learned over the years that seemingly stray cattle in urban areas are not ownerless. They do have owners living in the city itself, who let their cattle roam freely in residential and commercial areas for lack of open spaces or maidans where these cattle would traditionally have roamed. But often these cattle get hit by speeding vehicles and are injured badly. Else they are seen suffering from various diseases and their owners could not care less about getting them treated. I have also observed that old and retired bulls will often congregate at chaurahas (crossings), much like old men congregate at the village chaupals to discuss village matters. Green fodder is very hard to provide for cattle being kept within city limits. At least in the village, they can forage by the river or nullah edge. It is a shame that traditional pasture lands have been encroached upon even in the villages or have been shamelessly gifted away by political leaders to landless communities in the hope of winning their votes. Some Indian municipalities have passed laws to keep cattle outside city limits. But these laws or orders are hardly ever implemented. The cattle keepers are all meant for precious vote banks of political parties and implementing such laws strictly would alienate these voters. In Varanasi, one can find cows and buffaloes being kept in almost every street. They provide milk for the lassi and sweets in shops that dot Varanasi, but they also cause a ruckus now and then especially if they are trying to cross the roads during busy rush hours. So I firmly believe that keeping cattle outside municipal city limits is essential. While it may not lessen the suffering of these dumb creatures, it will at least lessen the number of accidents involving these stray (or otherwise) cattle. - Dr Anjali Pathak, writer, educator, consultant, and naturopath
Every time I have to slow down my car because there is a herd of cows or buffalos crossing without supervision, I feel the same sense of nervousness I had as an 8 year old child when my father’s Chevy Nova car was hit by a cow on our journey from New Delhi to Rampur. The purpose of the journey was to transport my aged paternal grandfather to my eldest uncle’s home. The passengers comprised one aged elder, one uncle, my parents and two children. We were within city limits when this cow came out of nowhere and bumped into the car hard enough to damage the side and shake up the passengers. Worse still, the crowd was ready to fight with us and sided with the cow’s owner. The cow was not hurt although we were frightened. Matters were resolved with a bit of cash but I know my Dad was not happy about the additional expenditure to get the vehicle fixed. As an adult, I appreciate the concept of urban livestock and its historical value. However, when looking at modern India’s urban livestock, it’s important to make a distinction between monogastric and ruminant systems (pigs, chickens and ducks versus cows, buffaloes and goats or sheep) as well as what regulations exist to allow peaceful co-existence between humans and these animals. Globally speaking, all cities where urban livestock are found differ from one another in size, development history, sociology and structure. Some cities opt for decentralized planning or laissez faire, others for centralized planning, and still others seem to have developed without any clear plans at all. Singapore is a typical case of a city with strong legislative measures, but in other cities hardly any effect is expected from legislation other than an increase in bribery. Keeping dairy cows may seem impossible in the heart of modern Mumbai or New Delhi and yet they abound. It’s common to see the stray cattle like cows, bulls and buffaloes etc. roaming the roads, highways, streets and in colonies of almost every city and town. Stray cattle are a traffic nuisance in cities and they also raid crops in villages. They are main cause of road accidents on highways at night. Farmers suffer from stray cattle because they destroy their crops. Even the keeping of dairy cows and/or goats can be quite acceptable in urban areas with much green, or where there are a lot of by-products from agro-industries. In fact, during the nineteenth century, urban dairies were quite important in areas around beer breweries in Copenhagen, Denmark and around distilleries in major United States. Dairy cows used to be a common sight in Copenhagen, where they cleaned-up leftovers from the beer breweries. Obviously, there was and is a point in keeping livestock in cities, either as a specialized enterprise or in combination with gardening and farming in and around the city. But in the Indian context, there are problems and challenges in urban livestock systems. Poverty, ignorance and lack of awareness or availability of veterinary services mean many of these stray cows might not be monitored for health by the authorities or any NGO but certainly there is a potential health hazard to public health as well as to animal health. I acknowledge that our ancient rural economy and livelihood was cow centric. Almost every village had gochar lands or grazing lands which was reserved exclusively for the cattle to graze on. Modern time’s problem arise because the animals we see on the street creating a nuisance are often also abandoned for lack of economic use by the dairy farmer or perhaps because of the loss of grazing land as urbanization leads to more concrete jungles than greenery. I believe we need to widen our strategy to reduce stray cattle in one hand and development of innovative technology for proper utilization of stray cattle resource in other hand. Definitely get them off the streets of urban cities for their sake as well as for the human population. Banning is not the solution but providing a safe haven for them is. -Vatsala Shukla, executive coach empowering, connecting and supporting women professionals, & bestselling author
क्या मवेशी पालन फार्म को शहर के बाहरी इलाकों तक सीमित रखा जाना चाहिए? यह सवाल कि क्या मवेशी पालन फार्म को शहर के बाहरी इलाकों तक सीमित रखा जाना चाहिए और क्या शहरी इलाकों में मवेशियों को रखने पर प्रतिबंध लगाया जाना चाहिए, एक गंभीर मुद्दा है, खासकर उन देशों में जहां सड़कों पर घूमते हुए मवेशी आम बात है। जबकि कुछ लोग तर्क दे सकते हैं कि शहरों में मवेशियों को रहने देने से परंपरा बनी रहती है और आर्थिक लाभ मिलता है, लेकिन नुकसान लाभों से कहीं ज्यादा हैं। शहरी क्षेत्र मवेशियों के लिए उपयुक्त नहीं हैं, और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य, सुरक्षा और पर्यावरण संबंधी चिंताओं के लिए, मवेशी पालन फार्म को बाहरी इलाकों तक सीमित रखना सबसे व्यावहारिक और टिकाऊ समाधान है। मवेशियों को शहरी क्षेत्रों से दूर रखने का एक मुख्य कारण सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य है। मवेशियों को खुरपका-मुंहपका, तपेदिक और ब्रुसेलोसिस जैसी बीमारियों को फैलाने के लिए जाना जाता है, जो सीधे संपर्क या दूषित जल स्रोतों के माध्यम से मनुष्यों में फैल सकती हैं। जब मवेशी शहरों में खुलेआम घूमती हैं, तो उनका मल सड़कों पर जमा हो जाता है, जिससे अस्वच्छ स्थिति, दुर्गंध और संक्रमण का खतरा बढ़ जाता है। शहरी क्षेत्र पहले से ही प्रदूषण और अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन से जूझ रहे हैं, और पशुधन की मौजूदगी इन समस्याओं को और बढ़ा देती है। एक और बड़ी चिंता यातायात की भीड़ और सड़क सुरक्षा है। खुला घूमते हुए मवेशी अक्सर सड़कों को अवरुद्ध करते हैं, जिससे दुर्घटनाएं और देरी होती है। ड्राइवरों को उनसे टकराने से बचने के लिए अचानक मोड़ना या रुकना पड़ता है, जिससे यातायात बाधित होता है और संभावित टकराव होता है। कुछ मामलों में, मवेशी राजमार्गों और व्यस्त चैराहों पर भी आराम करते हैं, जिससे मानव जीवन और खुद जानवरों दोनों को खतरा होता है। मवेशियों को शहरों से दूर निर्दिष्ट खेतों में रखने से यातायात का प्रवाह सुचारू होगा और सड़क के खतरे कम होंगे। पर्यावरणीय स्थिरता एक और महत्वपूर्ण कारक है। शहर पहले से ही वायु और ध्वनि प्रदूषण के उच्च स्तर से जूझ रहे हैं। मवेशी मीथेन उत्सर्जन में योगदान करते हैं, एक ग्रीनहाउस गैस जो जलवायु परिवर्तन को महत्वपूर्ण रूप से प्रभावित करती है। जबकि पशुधन से मीथेन उत्सर्जन को पूरी तरह से समाप्त नहीं किया जा सकता है, ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में मवेशी फार्मों को बेहतर अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन प्रथाओं, जैसे बायोगैस उत्पादन या खाद बनाने की अनुमति देता है। इसके विपरीत, शहरी क्षेत्रों में बड़े पैमाने पर पशु अपशिष्ट को कुशलतापूर्वक संभालने के लिए बुनियादी ढांचे की कमी है। इसके अलावा, शहरी मवेशी अक्सर उपेक्षा, कुपोषण और खराब निवास की स्थिति से पीड़ित होते हैं। नियंत्रित फार्म के विपरीत, जहाँ उन्हें उचित भोजन और चिकित्सा देखभाल मिलती है, शहरी मवेशी अक्सर कूड़ा-कचरा खाने पर निर्भर रहती हैं, जिससे गंभीर स्वास्थ्य समस्याएँ होती हैं। कई मवेशी प्लास्टिक और अन्य हानिकारक पदार्थों को खा लेती हैं, जो उनके पेट में फँस जाती है , दर्दनाक बीमारियों और समय से पहले मौत का कारण बनती हैं। बाहरी इलाकों में विनियमित फार्मों में मवेशियों को रखने से उन्हें उचित देखभाल, पोषण और पशु चिकित्सा देखभाल मिल सकती है, जिससे उनकी भलाई सुनिश्चित होती है। हालांकि, कुछ लोगों का तर्क है कि शहरी क्षेत्रों में मवेशी आजीविका के अवसर प्रदान करते हैं, खासकर दूध विक्रेताओं और छोटे पैमाने के डेयरी किसानों के लिए। जबकि यह एक वैध चिंता है परन्तु बेहतर विकल्प मौजूद हैं। सरकार शहरी क्षेत्रों के बाहर विनियमित डेयरी फार्म स्थापित कर सकती है, यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य और सुरक्षा से समझौता किए बिना दूध उत्पादन जारी रहे। इसके अतिरिक्त, आधुनिक डेयरी फार्मिंग तकनीक और वितरण प्रणाली शहरी उपभोक्ताओं को शहरों में गायों की उपस्थिति की आवश्यकता के बिना ताजा दूध प्रदान कर सकती है। निष्कर्ष रूप से, शहरी क्षेत्रों में मवेशियों की उपस्थिति मनुष्यों और जानवरों दोनों के लिए अव्यावहारिक और खतरनाक है। बाहरी इलाकों में मवेशी फार्मों को स्थानांतरित करने से बेहतर स्वच्छता सुनिश्चित होती है, सड़क दुर्घटनाओं में कमी आती है, पर्यावरणीय मुद्दों को कम किया जाता है और पशु कल्याण को बढ़ावा मिलता है। परंपरा सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य और शहरी स्थिरता की कीमत पर नहीं आनी चाहिए। इसलिए, शहरों में मवेशियों को रखने पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया जाना चाहिए तथा ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में अच्छी तरह से प्रबंधित पशु फार्म स्थापित किए जाने चाहिए।- हरेन्द्र नारायण सिंह, रीजनल मेम्बर स्फीहा, फैकल्टी, लायन्स इंटरनेशनल
Topic of the month: Is selective dog breeding (creating new breeds with specific behavioral and physical traits)ethical? You may send your views (either in Hindi or English) in 300 words or more to [email protected]. Please also attach a colour photo of yourself.
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