Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, September 30:- Punjab Gau Sewa Commission Vice Chairman Shri Keemti Bhagat today held a meeting with officials of local government institutions, the Animal Husbandry Department and other concerned departments at Mohali to review arrangements for the management of cow shelters in the district, the care of stray and helpless cattle and arrangements for taking them to safe places.
Shri Keemti Bhagat said that the decision of the Punjab Government to provide Rs 61 per cattle per day for the care and maintenance of cattle kept in cow shelters has been implemented by the Bhagwant Singh Mann government. He said this would provide financial assistance to cow shelters for the care of cattle and, by ensuring fodder for stray and helpless animals roaming on roads, further strengthen the campaign to take them to cow shelters.
He directed the officials to further accelerate the campaign to immediately take stray and helpless animals roaming on roads to cow shelters. He said that during the last four months, around 9,000 stray and helpless animals had been taken to cow shelters across the state.
The Vice Chairman of the Punjab Gau Sewa Commission said that the Punjab Government has decided to waive the electricity bills of 518 government and private cow shelters in the state. He said this has provided financial relief to cow shelters, which have expressed their gratitude to the Punjab Government.
He said that to safely transport injured, wounded or helpless cattle to cow shelters and ensure treatment and care as required, the Punjab Government has provided cow lifters free of cost, on which around Rs 3.06 crore has been spent. These cow lifters have been provided to different districts of the state.
Shri Keemti Bhagat said that the Municipal Corporation and Municipal Councils in the district should coordinate with the concerned departments for receiving the amount collected as cow cess and ensure that the amount is released and utilised for the care of stray animals.
He said that the Punjab Government has made various arrangements to prevent cow slaughter, including a provision for punishment of up to 10 years, exemption from stamp duty for new cow shelters, cow protection cells in every district under the leadership of a gazetted police officer, and necessary vaccination to protect animals kept in cow shelters from diseases.
He said that he also held a meeting today with Deputy Commissioner Smt. Komal Mittal regarding ensuring that the four approved slaughterhouse units in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district are operated in accordance with the rules prescribed by the government. He said that the Deputy Commissioner assured that compliance with the rules in this regard would be ensured.
On the occasion, certificates were also handed over to the newly registered cow shelters with the Punjab Gau Sewa Commission.
Joint Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Mohali Shri Navdeep Singh, District Development and Panchayat Officer Smt. Parmbir Kaur, Municipal Corporation Superintending Engineer Shri Kamaldeep Singh, ETO Shri Diwan Chand from the Excise Department, Executive Officers of various Municipal Councils and other concerned officials were present at the meeting.
