Himachal: Even after two years, Jawali Gau Sanctuary built at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore is incomplete
Himachal Pradesh: The Gau Sanctuary, constructed at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore at Khabbal village of Haar Gram Panchayat in Jawali Assembly constituency, is not in use even after 30 months of its inauguration. Built on 256 kanal land, the sanctuary was built to house 2,000 stray and abandoned cattle of the lower Kangra region. However, official hitches and lack of will of the current state government have prevented it from becoming operational. The sanctuary, inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in June 2022 after completion within 15 months, is yet to serve its purpose. Ironically, the facility is located in the constituency of the current Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Chandra Kumar. Despite efforts over the last two years, there has been no concrete progress to make the facility functional.
Local residents and animal lovers of lower Kangra have expressed growing frustration over the government’s inaction. Stray cattle continue to roam on highways and rural roads, causing accidents and damage to crops. Many farmers have also stopped growing cereal crops like maize due to the growing threat from stray animals. Reports suggest that a year ago, the animal husbandry department had proposed a committee of six government officials and eight non-government members headed by the SDM of Jawali to manage the sanctuary.
However, the plan did not take off due to operational challenges. The government currently provides Rs 700 per month for sheltering each stray animal, but local residents have shown little interest in availing the scheme. According to Seema Guleria, deputy director of the animal husbandry department, the proposal to run the sanctuary through an NGO has been sent to the state government for approval. Once finalised, tenders will be issued to hand over its operation to the NGO. Residents and farmers of the area keep appealing to the government to expedite the process and make the cow sanctuary functional, stressing its importance for public safety and agricultural sustainability.
