Yogi visits cow shelter patronised by Aparna
LUCKNOW : Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday visited a shelter home for cows and other stray animals run by an NGO patronized by Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav.
The chief minister was flanked by Aparna and her husband Prateek (Mulayam’s son) all through the inspection of Kanha Upvan, situated on Lucknow outskirts.
Both Prateek and Aparna are ardent animal lovers and have been espousing the cause of stray cattle.
The duo had met Yogi Adityanath soon after he took over the UP charge and discussed the cow protection measures in the state.
On Friday, they also had a chat with urban development minister Suresh Khanna and minister of state (independent charge) of women and family welfare Swati Singh.
The chief minister was so impressed with the facilities at the cow shelter that he directed officials to come up with more such projects in other districts of the state.
The chief minister was also accompanied by deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma who is credited with conceptualizing the project as Lucknow’s mayor.
Yogi Adityanath visited the temple on the premises and performed a puja. He visited cow enclosures and offered fodder to them.
During inspection, he saw some kids playing in the field and inquired as to where they study. When told that they were the kids of labourers working in Kanha Upvan, he directed the municipal officials to arrange for their education.
He said if their parents are working here then arrangement of their education must be done by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation.
Interacting with deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, Yogi praised the concept and directed officials accompanying him to set up more such shelters in other cities as well.
“With cities expanding, such shelter homes can be an ideal solution to address the issue of cattle settlement,” he said.
The chief minister also inspected the hospital for animals on the campus and directed officials to come up with more such initiatives.
He said each zone of the city must have such hospital as transporting stray animal for treatment from one corner to other corner in case of illness is cumbersome.
Spread in 54 acres, the shelter houses 950 cows, 917 bulls and 105 dogs in separate enclosures.
Around 70 cows are milk producing and most of the milk produced here is given to dogs living in ‘Bhairo shwalaya’ enclosure while rest of the milk is distributed among labourers working at Kanha Upvan.
Nominal price is charged from labourers by NGO Jeevashraya.
“The chief minister was happy to see the shelter home and has ensured all the help for its expansion,” said Yatindre Trivedi, general secretary, of the NGO Jeevashraya.
With cities expanding, such shelter homes can be an ideal solution to address the issue of cattle settlement YOGI ADITYANATH, chief minister