Surendranagar, Banaskantha: 74,000 cattle died at panjrapols in two districts in 3 years, says govt

The data revealed that while 29,057 animals – majority of them cows (21,576) and buffaloes (7,026) – died in Surendranagar, 44,885 animals – 19,802 cows and 21,372 buffaloes – died in Banaskantha during this period.

“The details of these deaths have already been shared by registered panjrapols with the state government. No subsidy has been offered by the government for these deaths,” Congress MLA Geniben Thakor, who had raised the question in the House, said.

When contacted, Vipul Mali, general secretary of Gujarat Gau Seva Sangh, said: “During these years, more deaths were reported due to lumpy virus, which started towards 2021 end and then spread across the state.”

In the Assembly, responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Imran Khedawala on the spread of lumpy virus in the state, the government had declined the same. “As on September 30, 2023, spread of lumpy virus in cows was seen in the state… but the state government declined it… This response is completely incorrect as the data shows highest number of deaths from 2021 end to 2022,” Khedawala told The Indian Express.

With the government claiming that the calves died due to fever, diarrhoea and weakness, the panjrapols – most of them run by charitable trusts – have said such reasons as “unavoidable”. “Cows and buffaloes that reach panjrapols are already old and physically weak or sick… so it is very difficult to save them. Also, with Banaskantha having the highest number of cattle, the panjrapol in the district, too, gets a high number of such animals,” said Jagdish Solanki, spokesperson of Banaskantha Panjrapol Federation, an association of 203 panjrapols in the district that shelters around 75,000 animals.

Rajesh Thakkar from Shree Rajpur Deesa Panjrapol in Banaskantha, one of the largest in the district, added: “With the effects of lumpy virus prolonged among cows, we had to keep them secluded… (with) less chances of recovery. Also, the male progeny discarded by farmers is already weak and sick, there are less chances of saving them.”

To check mortality among calves, the government has announced measures like administering vaccination and providing financial assistance under Mukhyamantri Gau Mata Poshan Yojana. However, in 2022, pajrapols and gaushalas across Gujarat had launched a protest against the non-implementation of the Rs 500-crore scheme, which was announced in the 2022-2023 state budget.