On May 6, Wednesday Uttar Pradesh recorded a whopping 31,165 new Covid-19 cases. These numbers are of the past 24 hours, as released by the state’s Health Department, there was a record high of 357 death toll in the same time, according to a report in The Indian Express, Kanpur Nagar again reported 46 deaths, and has had over 112 Covid deaths, in the last couple of days. Lucknow had maximum new cases at 3,004), followed by Meerut’s 1,732 and Gautam Buddh Nagar which had 1,703.
However for Chief Minister Adityanath the pandemic that is killing humans is a perfect time to think about cow welfare. According to news reports, the state government has issued directives that “help desks for protection of cows” be set up across UP. All gaushalas or cow shelters have been ordered to strictly follow Covid-19 protocols, such as using masks and mandatory thermal screening. It has been reported that these gaushalas will “be equipped with all the medical equipment such as oximeters and thermal scanners for cows and other animals as well.” Yes, you read that right, medical equipment, which is not easily available at local chemists anymore, will be mandatory at cow shelters. In view of the current Covid situation, a total of 700 help desks for the welfare of cows have been set up across the districts of Uttar Pradesh. With this, 51 oximeters and 341 thermal scanners have also been provided to ensure better animal care and testing.
A government spokesman told the media that a large number of “destitute cows” are sheltered in the gaushalas, and the state government is planning to increase the number of the existing cowsheds and cow shelters next. It was reported that there are “over 5,268 cow protection centres” in UP which are, taking care of “as many as 5,73,417 cattle” in the state. Reportes added that around 4,64,311 cows are being housed at 4,529 temporary cow shelters at the moment across the state. There are 3452 “fodder banks” created by the state government to feed the “stray cattle in Uttar Pradesh amid the covid crisis” stated news reports.
The UP government also has a programme titled: “Mukhya Mantri Besahara Gau-Vansh Sahbhagita Yojana” that gives Rs 900 each month to every farmer taking care of stray cattle.
Meanwhile, the Adityanath government has also been focusing on covering up crematoria and banning pictures of the burning pyres that are now circulating worldwide, reported The Telegraph. The government has put up banners along the pavement on the only open side of the lone cremation ground in the CM’s hometown of Gorakhpur, blocking view of the pyres and the long queues of bodies, reported the Telegraph. In April, the crematoria at Baikunth Dham and Gullala Ghat, in Lucknow were also covered from view with iron sheet fencing.
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