The Uttarakhand government is set to geo-tag its 21,000 stray cattle for their proper conservation and to free the streets of the bovine menace.

The government has also decided to send all stray cows to under-construction cowsheds in the coming days.

Chief Secretary Radha Ratuir on Tuesday directed the Urban Development Department and Animal Welfare Board officials that geo-tagging of the unclaimed stray cows and bovines should be done mandatorily. She said this would provide a long-term solution to the nagging problem of street cattle on the roads in the urban areas. At the same time, it will help in ensuring better care of the cattle.

While issuing the order to the officials for mandatory geo-tagging of all bovine animals in the state, the chief secretary directed them to keep complete data as to the age, place, medical status, and other information about every cattle lifted from the streets and take to the cowsheds.

Raturi instructed the officials to launch a digital application carrying information about the geo-tagged stray cows and other cattle.

Apart from an app, a dashboard with detailed information will be launched soon to maintain the data of stray cattle in the state. The chief secretary appreciated the ‘Gausevak Scheme’ of the state for its importance in taking care of the destitute cattle and asked officials to increase the scope of its expansion across the state.

Chairing a state Animal Welfare Board meeting in Dehradun on Tuesday, Raturi directed the state Urban Development Department to revise and monitor the strength of destitute cattle in urban areas of the state with the help of respective municipal bodies every month and make adequate arrangements to take them to the cowsheds.

The Board also decided to ensure adequate stock of fodder, straw, light, security, and medicines in the cowsheds and regular inspections to be conducted by officials. It was informed in the board meeting that around 21,000 stray cattle have been identified in the urban areas of Uttarakhand so far.

It is noteworthy that the Uttarakhand government pays the highest honorarium of ₹80 per animal every day for the upkeep of the adopted stray bovines compared to other states in the country. As many as 36 additional large cowsheds are under construction in urban areas across 13 districts of the state to keep and look after the stray cattle. The works for cowsheds are in the final stages to be commissioned soon. The work of 13 Gaushalas is in progress. Besides this state Panchayati Raj Department will set up 26 cowsheds in different rural areas of the state. The department has identified the land for cowsheds in all hill districts.