The district administration of Bilaspur is investigating various aspects of the incident of death of about 47 cows due to local people being kept in a closed room in the Gram Panchayat Medpar of Takhatpur development block in Bilaspur district. Strict action will be taken against the culprits in this incident.
The purpose of the Gothan, Roka-Chheka Abhiyan and Godhan Nyaya Yojana being created by the state government under the Suraji village scheme is the protection of livestock and not any harm to animals. Detailed guidelines have been issued to all gram panchayats in this regard in the past. The news of animal deaths in Medpar village of Takhtpur has nothing to do with the stopped Chheka campaign. Roka Chheka campaign in the state ended on 30 June and under Roca Chheka campaign, instructions were given to keep crops in open environment to protect crops from animals. In this incident, local people locked the animals in a building. It was not a Gothan built by the Gram Panchayat. This system is contrary to the original hypothesis of Gothan and to avoid such incidents, under the Suraji Gram Yojana, Gothan are being built in an open environment in three acres of government land in every gram panchayat. This accident further proves the need for how important Gothan is for the safety of animals. False facts are being publicized in some news media.
