Visakhapatnam: Two more cows died at the Gnanananda Ashram in Visakhapatnam due to disease and cold weather. So far, 26 cows including several calves have died, animal activists said.
“The district administration should immediately take steps to prevent deaths and shift the cows to a shelter for which five acres have been earmarked at Kusulavada in Anandapuram mandal in Vizag district,” said founder-president of Visakha Society for the Protection and Care of Animals.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle on Monday, he said it was cruel to house more than 500 cows at the Gnanananda Ashram which is small and is unable supply fodder to its own cows. “The police left 160 cows seized from a container while the Simhachalam Devasthanam dumped another 300 cows,” he said.
He said the Andhra Pradesh High Court had issued orders to have shelters for cows in every district in the state and accordingly five acres of land was allotted in Kusalavada in Anandapuram mandal.
“If they do not have funds to organise a shelter, the district administration can always entrust the responsibility to a reputed NGO which could be monitored by a committee,’’ Nath said.
He warned that if the administration did not take immediate measures, he would be forced to approach the High Court.
Meanwhile, animal husbandry joint director D. Rama Krishna said in all he identified 319 cows of which 108 are calves sheltered in the ashram. He said he was not aware from where these animals were brought.
He said treatment was being given and the situation was under control.
