Farming or business

When it comes to animal husbandry, rather than calling it a business, farming would sound better. The reasons could be the linkage of the occupation with one’s emotions, life, sentiments and religion.

But with the changing times, I feel that the occupation has started to turn into a business.

With the increasing number of stray members of the bovid family in the city, not only are they inviting serious traffic hazards, but also making an irony of our business mentality.

Being a secular country - with extravagant number of Hindus - we find it okay to see benign stray cows, as we believe they bring good luck. Killing or slaughtering of cows is banned by law. But the irony is that when cows go spent, they are left astray on the roads, having them wait for their death.

Dairy animals are raised for dairy products. So, businessmen can do whatever they think is right for profit. I don’t see any fault in their approach since they are businesspersons.

So, what could be the permanent solution to this ethically, morally, socially, challenging problem? Personally, I am ready to pay double the price of milk if no cattle is left stranded, and the owner takes full responsibility till their natural death. In implementing this approach, all the municipalities, concerned authorities and stakeholders should spread their wings to bring the culprits under the scanner by using sophisticated technology - like registration of these animals by providing GPS tracking collars. The cost should be borne by the owners since the price of their products has been made dearer.

Also, provisions can be made to prohibit the diary business inside the Ring Road, given the population density, traffic and narrow roads, just to name a few. Even after the implementation of these draconic rules, if cattle are found scurrying for cover on the roads, the owners can be traced easily so as to punish them severely.

Though the government claims that the authorities are addressing the problem, during our daily commute, we come across scores of these animals left on the road to fend for themselves. Also, newly left ones—calves and spent cows - are found in this dystopia.

Let’s make this world a proper habitat for animals as per theirs use. Undoubtedly, they can be used for business purpose, but the outcome should be a win-win situation, where businesspersons win while at the same time animals do not lose.