Date:10/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/10/stories/2008121053970400.htm

New Delhi

Cows dying of neglect at go-sadans

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Overcrowding, poor sanitation and infectious diseases are among the factors causing the death of cows at the five go-sadans in the Capital.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has conveyed this to the Delhi High Court in reply to a public interest litigation that on an average 100 cattle die every day at these cow shelters due to unhygienic conditions.

The civic body submitted that the mortality rate among the cattle kept at these shelters had come down from 72 per day in August- September this year to 53 per day in October following certain steps taken by it.

These shelters are run by non-governmental organisations under the supervision of the Delhi Government’s Animal Husbandry Department.

The civic body further stated that it had found various discrepancies in the functioning of one of these shelters during an inspection. Its affidavit said one cow was missing at this cow shelter, which was a lapse and did not reflect favourably on its functioning.

The MCD also made it clear that it did not have any direct stake in the functioning of the go-sadans.