Chandigarh: Haryana will launch a statewide drive to tag every cattle head and crack down on owners who abandon animals on roads, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Wednesday.Chairing a meeting of the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog and animal husbandry department, Saini directed officials to ensure every cattle head is identified so owners can be traced and held accountable. The govt is also considering graded penalties for repeat offenders — Rs 11,000 for the first offence, Rs 21,000 for the second and an FIR on the third.Authorities also discussed withholding govt benefits linked to habitual offenders’ animals, including vaccination and insurance support.Saini also ordered district-wise tenders for catching stray cattle to facilitate the special drive across Haryana.Officials stated that some cattle owners release their animals after milking them in the morning and evening, leaving them to wander on roads.To simultaneously strengthen cattle sanctuaries, Saini directed officials to provide proper fencing and boundary walls around areas where cattle are housed and cultivate green fodder on the remaining land.The meeting also focused on improving the functioning of gaushalas and making them financially self-reliant. The CM asked the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog to take a proactive role in strengthening gaushalas, improving cattle upkeep and promoting breed improvement.707 registered gaushalasHaryana currently has 707 registered gaushalas housing around four lakh cattle, according to officials.Saini also took up the growing problem of stray dogs and directed the urban local bodies and animal husbandry departments to jointly prepare a plan to tackle the menace in accordance with relevant guidelines.
