New Delhi, August 10: A FEW days after the Delhi High Court ordered a reward of Rs.2,000 for every stray cow caught, the issue was today raised by MCD councillors in the Standing Committee Meeting. They opined that every household in Delhi, whether urban or rural, should be allowed to keep one cow. The councillors’ opinion was that there are ‘‘religious sentiments’’ attached to cows and that ‘‘it is part of our culture to revere the cow and pray to it.’’

Chairman of the Standing Committee, Mukesh Goel, said: ‘‘Even advanced countries like the US have now realised that there are health benefits attached to gau mootra (cow urine) and gobar (cow dung).’’ The Chairman has asked Commissioner MCD Rakesh Mehta to clarify this point at the next HC hearing. Mehta said that Delhi Police had been directed to use Section 133 (removal of nuisance) and six cases had already been filed in this regard.

Veterinary Officer S.K. Yadav, in-charge of cattle collecting drive said: ‘‘if every household is allowed to have one cow it will seriously affect our collections. The situation will worsen when people will claim that the cattle kept by them is for non-commercial purposes.’’

According to Mehta, most stray cattle on the roads comes from illegal dairies, many of them in urban areas. The MCD, he said, was implanting chips in animals auctioned off at the Baprola Cattle Pound. This information, he said, was being entered on a computer there. The original buyer would be fined Rs.10,000 if a cow thus sold was rounded up by the MCD.

The issue of cruelty to cattle was brought up by councillors. Councillor Farhad Suri said while it was not only a religious sentiment but also a ‘‘social” one that’s being hurt every time we see cattle being mistreated’’.

Cattle collected
From September 2003 to July 2005: 34,489
July 2005: 1,030
August 2005: Over 300
Capacity of Malviya Nagar Pound: 60 to 80 animals
Money earned from auctions (from January): Rs 60 lakh