Gujarat to sterilize 50,000 bulls to curb stray cattle menace

Ahmedabad: To deal with the problem of cattle roaming unchecked on the roads and causing accidents, the Gujarat cabinet on Wednesday decided to sterilise 50,000 stray bulls across the state.

After sterilization, these bulls will be ear-tagged and sent to cow-shelters which receive grant under the government's Mukhyamantri Gaumata Poshan scheme, said health minister Rushikesh Patel.

"Bulls are more aggressive and we have noticed that nearly 60 to 70 per cent of cases (of people getting injured due to cattle on the roads) happen because of bulls. Therefore, we have decided to sterilize nearly 50,000 bulls which roam in the cities as well as in rural areas," he said after the cabinet meeting.

The castration procedure for sterilization will be carried out under the guidance of experts including veterinary college professors and Animal Husbandry Department officials, added Patel, who is also a government spokesperson.

"Every (sterilization) team will include a veterinary officer, two supervisors and two cattle handlers," he said.

The exercise will be carried out in all the eight municipal corporations, 156 municipalities and rural areas, the minister said.

In the past, the Gujarat High Court had on several occasions asked the state government to take steps to minimize the stray cattle nuisance.