MLA urges setting up goshala to rehabilitate rescued cattle

Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole has called on officials to expedite the establishment of a Goshala in Kollur to provide shelter for rescued stray cattle in the region. He asked Kundapur Assistant Commissioner S R Rashmi to hold discussions with the Sri Mookambika Temple Management Committee to mobilise funds for the project.

Speaking at a DISHA meeting, Gantihole pointed out that while the revenue department had earmarked land for the Goshala, the financial grant required for construction was still pending. “The need is urgent as rescued cattle currently have no place for rehabilitation,” he said.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar informed that 20 cases of cattle theft were registered in Byndoor and Kollur over the past two years. He said a shift in theft patterns was observed, with offenders who earlier operated along highways in Mangaluru and Karwar moving operations to Byndoor and Kollur after stricter measures in those areas.

“Cattle theft sometimes triggers communal tension, which makes it important to have a facility to house rescued cattle,” the SP said. He confirmed that land had already been identified for the proposed Goshala.

Assistant Commissioner Rashmi noted that construction could begin as soon as the state government sanctioned funds. According to officials, an earlier government proposal to set up a Goshala in Udupi district had been announced but did not take off.

Chitradurga MP B Y Raghavendra, who was also present, urged the administration to ensure that the grant for the project was secured at the earliest.