DW BUREAU / LUDHIANA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Food, Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Punjab laid the foundation stone of 'Instructional Gaushala' at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. Balkar Singh Sandhu, Mayor of Ludhiana also graced the occasion. Event was planned and organized under guidance of Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, along with officers and senior faculty of the university. Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that this novel idea of Instructional Gaushala will educate other gaushala to run their establishments in a scientific and low cost manner. He said that GADVASU is torch bearer in the state to give guidance in the field of animal husbandry under the leadership of Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor. He informed that different organic, conventional and traditional activities of this gaushala will connect us to our native roots. Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU, informed that Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, and Dairy Development, has sanctioned a project to the tune of Rs 107.31 lakh to GADVASU to set up a Model Gaushala at the University campus to find the viable solution of stray cattle. He said that there are nearly 1.6 lakh stray cattle roaming on the roads of Punjab (more than 50 lakh in country). These cattle are one of the major reasons for road accidents, damage crops and forest plantations. Some people let loose the cows after their productive life is over. Moreover, stray animals are usually malnourished and wounded, and thus suffer themselves. This project was developed with the objective of low maintenance cost and higher revenue generation. The project will be completed in one year duration. Dr S.P.S Ghuman, Dean, College of Veterinary Science said that the aim of this gaushala will be managing the stray cattle in self-reliant basis on scientific lines with available inexpensive techniques involving low cost comfortable housing, feeding and healthcare facilities. Dr J.P.S. Gill, Director Research, GADVASU is of the opinion that demonstrating low cost management and feeding systems of stray animal management will help the dairy farming industry of the state and society at large. The team comprising Dr R S Grewal, Director Livestock Farms, Dr S T Singh, Dr Puneet Malhotra, Dr Ravi Kant, Dr. Navdeep Singh Ratta and Dr. D S Malik will initiate the work on this project. Model Gaushala will be a demonstration unit depicting scientific cattle management with economic rearing and zero-waste production that can be replicated at gram panchayat / taluka levels in the state/country. It will demonstrate the actual potential of stray cattle (a national resource) that can be harnessed in the form of income generation, genetic improvement of germ-plasm etc. (editor@dailyworld.in)