The man who wants 6 lakh square feet in Mumbai to protect cows

'I have seen so many cows roaming the streets of Mumbai. When people from foreign countries see cows roaming on our streets, it is not good.'

Dr Ram Barot, a Bharatiya Janata Party councillor in Mumbai, helmed a bill that was passed in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation last week, permitting six gaushalas (cow shelters) in Mumbai.

Mumbai, where every square foot is treasured, will allocate 6 lakh -- that is right, 600,000 -- square feet for these gaushalas.

Dr Barot, below, left, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com why these gaushalas are essential for Mumbai.

How did the idea for cow sheds in Mumbai come to you?

I am a councillor for the last 25 years. This is my fifth term. I have seen cows roaming on the roads and eating plastic. The cows then get sick and die. This is for animal love.

We stopped horse-drawn carriages in Mumbai. We don't kill dogs in Mumbai. Therefore, I felt if I ask for six guashalas, then at least I will get two approved.

How many places do you want gaushalas in Mumbai?

I have asked for six places in Mumbai. About 10,000 square metres (600,000 square feet).

But the bill has been passed. You got an okay for all six places.

Yes. Now this bill will go to Mumbai Commissioner Ajay Mehta. He will put a remark whether he is giving these places or not.

Do you know how many cows are abandoned and roaming the streets of Mumbai?

There are thousands. In my area (Malad, northwest Mumbai) I have seen so many cows. Some people are exploiting these cows commercially by keeping them in front of temples. These things should stop.

If you give these cows to NGOs, they will sell milk and the gaushalas will be maintained.

I have seen so many cows roaming the streets of Mumbai. When people from foreign countries see cows roaming on our streets, it is not good.

Don't you think you are caging cows?

No. They will get food on time. They will be washed and live hygienically.

What will be the cost to the government?

The BMC has to reserve the plot. Once they reserve the plot for a gaushala, they can give it to some NGO to maintain.

Children in Mumbai don't have enough playgrounds. Citizens don't have enough gardens. Don't you think it will be an injustice to allocate space for these gaushalas?

Agreed, but there have been encroachments. Slums have been built on plots reserved for gardens and nobody paid attention to it. On playgrounds too, the same thing happened. Encroachers have even taken over crematoria.

This is also an issue, therefore I say give me at least two plots. One plot in the western suburbs and one in the eastern suburbs, so that this problem can be solved and we can accommodate all the cows of Mumbai.

Some corporators opposed your bill, saying the BMC is not doing enough for the drought-affected people in Maharashtra and instead taking more interest in these gaushalas?

Giving two plots for gaushalas in Mumbai is not very big. We have stopped killing cow progeny in Mumbai and they are struggling on the roads. If we get two small plots of even 5,000 square metres, then they will not struggle on the roads.

Do you feel people who abandon their cows on the roads must be punished?

People don't have knowledge. Those who sit in front of the temple (with cows) use it for commercial reasons. If there is one gaushala, all cows will come to one place.

I have got so many phone calls after this proposal was passed in the BMC. People have called to say they are willing to spend money and take care of these gaushalas.

Have you seen any successful gaushalas anywhere in the country?

In Kutch, Gujarat, I have seen thousands of cows near one temple. The person who runs it said he gives free milk to villagers as there are 5,000 cows in his gaushalas. In the same way, we can give milk at a subsidised rate to Mumbaikars.

Cows should not be seen on roads and not end up in slaughter houses. Therefore, I felt land should be reserved for gaushalas.