Rising Number of Abandoned Cattle Increases Pressure on Gaushalas in Banke
Due to increasing incidents of stray livestock damaging crops and causing road accidents, local governments in Banke have been constructing gaushalas to protect abandoned cattle over the past few years.
However, as gaushalas are reaching their capacity, administrators report that new challenges have emerged.
Currently, eight gaushalas operating in Banke’s Rapti Sonari, Narainapur, and Dudwa rural municipalities shelter more than 2,651 cows.
Among these, the largest number of cows is housed in the gaushala at Mangal Radhika Shadananda Dham in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality ward no. 2. Although this gaushala has a capacity for about 900 cows, it currently shelters approximately 1,100 cattle.
According to Preetam Das, the caretaker and mahant of the gaushala, most of the cows are rescued from roads.
“Cows collected from Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality, Kohalpur Municipality, and Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City are brought here. This is possibly the largest gaushala in Nepal,” Das said.
However, with the growing number of cattle, management is becoming increasingly difficult, he added.
“Although the local government provides two to four lakhs rupees annually, it may seem like generous support but is insufficient to run the gaushala,” Mahant Das explained, “Daily expenses for cow feed and employee salaries exceed one lakh rupees.”
He further says that there are currently 40 employees at the gaushala, including 15 regular staff and 25 daily wage workers. The gaushala spans about 174 hectares, with sufficient open land, but there is a shortage of shelters and manpower to keep the cattle.
“There is no shortage of space here, but additional shelters and staff are needed,” he adds.
About 10 bighas of land inside the gaushala are used for growing grass. Cows that are pregnant or sick are fed fresh green grass, while others are given fodder mixed with straw, chaff, bran, and grains.
“It is difficult to find straw in villages nowadays,” says Das. “When we ask for straw in exchange for cow dung, many people refuse to give it.”
Although five trollies of straw are needed daily, only three tractors are currently available for transportation.
The Love and Responsibility Tied to Cows
For those working at gaushalas, these cows are like family members. Gauri Acharya, who has been serving at the gaushala, has been rescuing and protecting cows found injured, weak, or pregnant on roads.
In some cases, cows die after giving birth, and their orphaned calves are raised by the staff.
“I feed the calves with a bottle for up to four months,” Acharya says emotionally, “They follow me like a mother; I feel affection for them as if they were my own children.”
From Streets to Gaushalas, but Challenges Remain
Until a few years ago, stray cows roamed freely on the streets and alleys of Banke. Now, they are being managed in some gaushalas, and local residents have noticed a decrease in the number of cows on the roads. Still, the problem has not been entirely resolved.
The Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City takes cows found on the streets into custody at Kanji House, and when the numbers increase, they transfer them to the gaushala in Rapti Sonari. Three years ago, the sub-metropolitan city provided 3.5 million rupees for the gaushala, and recently it has sent an additional 300 cows there.
According to Police Chief Surya Bogati, the open border has resulted in a continuous influx of new stray cows in the Nepalgunj area. “The gaushala has started refusing more cows,” he mentioned, “Now the concern is where to manage the additional cows that appear.”
Local Government Efforts but Lack of Resources
Apart from Mangal Radhika Shadananda Dham, Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality also runs gaushalas at Wards No. 9 (Venkateshwar Gaushala), 4 (Radhakrishna Gaushala), and 7 (Pokhara Mata Gaushala), housing between 70 to 200 cows each.
According to Manisha Singh Tharu, deputy chairperson of the rural municipality, 1.2 million rupees were spent on gaushala management in the fiscal year 2078/79 and 800,000 rupees in 2079/80. The upcoming fiscal year’s policies also prioritize gaushala management.
Along with financial support, the rural municipality also distributes seeds of various grasses free of charge through its agricultural branch.
Similar issues persist in Narainapur and Dudwa. Gaushalas in Narainapur ward 3 house over 800 cows, while Narainapur ward 5 accommodates more than 150. The Dudwa-5 community gaushala shelters nearly 100 cows.
Cows that were once regarded as symbols of prosperity in villages are now increasingly seen as burdens.
Experts explain that cows, which used to be cared for fondly in households and used in farm work, are now abandoned on streets as they grow old and unproductive.
Plastic: An Emerging Threat
Gaushala managers report that many street cows and strays have ingested plastic waste, making their survival for extended periods difficult.
Mahant Preetam Das remarks, “To effectively protect cows, local governments also need to pay serious attention to managing plastic waste in their communities.”
He added, “The gaushala is not only a place to save cows but also helps protect farmers’ crops, reduces road accidents, and prevents significant societal losses. The role of gaushalas in safeguarding cattle and property is crucial, and their proper management requires collective support.”