CM Yogi Adityanath moves to end stray cattle menace

New Delhi: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has prioritised mining and animal husbandry departments in an attempt to address pressing issues of irregular supply of balu and morang (river sand and coarse sand) for construction and an increase in the number of stray cows in the state.

Officials said that the long process of ensuring transparency in the allotment of mining leases had led to a shortage of sand, particularly morang, along with an adverse impact on jobs. It took almost a year for the government to legalise “patta” (mining leases) through e-tendering and e-auctioning. There are about 150 active pattas for sand mining, they said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently reviewed the progress of the mining directorate, after the ruling BJP suffered a setback in the bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats, and directed officials to take corrective measures.


“The CM wants the mining directorate to deliver the desired results by completing the process of e-tendering and e-auction for mining leases...,” said a government official, who did not wish to be identified. The official said that the system of cashless transaction is now in place in the mining business, and that the mining directorate would be in a position to ensure proper supply of morang by April 15.

Another cause of concern for the Adityanath government the number of stray animals, particularly cows and buffaloes. “The government is looking to develop goshalas (cow shelters) in all 16 municipal corporations.

"The animal husbandry department is considering setting up goshalas at the block level across the state,” an animal husbandry official said.