Maneka Gandhi Maneka Gandhi

A surface cleaner made from extracts of cow urine should be used in government offices instead of chemically bad phenyl, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has urged her colleagues in the Council of Ministers.

In a letter to other ministers, Gandhi has requested them to switch over to 'Gaunyle' - cleaning liquid made from cow urine extracts, arguing that it environment-friendly. "I would request you to replace phenyl, which is currently being used in your ministry and is chemically bad for environment, with Gaunyle," she said in the letter sent earlier this month.

Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development, said the Kendriya Bhandar is now stocking the 'Gaunyle'. Gaunyle is being marketed by an NGO, Holy Cow Foundation. It is said to be environment friendly as it does not have a synthetic base like phenyl but is not as strong as the latter.

Phenyl is the cheap cleaning liquid which is widely used in government offices to clean floor and toilets. According to an estimate by Kendriya Bhandar officials, over Rs 20 lakh is spent every month in cleaning central government offices in the national capital.

Last year, a BJP MP had suggested in Parliament that cow urine can be mixed with neem leaves to make a better insecticide.