India has deployed an ambulance service for cattle in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in a bid to protect animals sacred to the country’s majority Hindu community.
Cows have become a prized possession in India. Their cause isn’t just championed by gau rakshaks (cow protectors), they are protected by a slew of very stringent laws which remind the country that the cow, above everything else, occupies a special place.
The ambulance rescues ill or injured cows and transport them to ‘gau shalas’ (cow shelters) or take them for treatment to the veterinary doctor.
An emergency number has also been created so that people can come to the help of such cows. A veterinarian will be present in the ambulance along with an assistant.
The service, which would soon be expanded statewide, will also initiate legal action against those who abandon their cows once they stop giving milk.
Cattle sanctuaries
Other than issuing unique identity numbers to millions of cattle in a bid to prevent their slaughter for beef, the federal government now aims to establish ‘dedicated’ cattle sanctuaries across the country.
The local government believes that setting up sanctuaries and providing cattle with free fodder will stop farmers from selling older animals for slaughter.
Despite the historically taboo subject for many Indians, India produced 3.643 million metric tons of beef in 2012, of which 1.963 million metric tons was consumed domestically and 1.680 million metric tons was exported.
India ranks 5th in the world in beef production, 7th in domestic consumption and 1st in exporting.
