25 cows have died at a government shelter

At least 25 cows have died at a government shelter in Mathana village here due to "incessant rains and non-availability of fodder".

Continuous rains led to waterlogging in the shelter. A number of cows got stuck in the swampy land and died. A few others starved to death and many have fallen sick, Kiran Bala, the village head, said.

Haryana Gau Sewa Commission chairman Bhani Das Mangla and a few district administration officials visited the cow shelter on Thursday evening to take stock.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Narinder Pal Malik asked officials to shift the sick cows to a cattle shelter in Karnal.

Ashok Papneja, former president of 'Shri Krishan gaushala' that provides fodder to the government cattle shelter, said the district administration had raised a boundary wall around seven-and-a-half acres of village panchayat land and built it. "At present, there are over 600 cows in the shelter, which lacks proper facilities. There is no fodder and drinking water available for so many cows," he claimed.

Malik said the responsibility of the shelter's operation lies with the panchayat and the state animal husbandry department. District Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Dr Dharminder Singh said the department takes proper care of the animals.