NAINITAL: Uttarakhand Gau Seva Ayog is planning to start a helpline number on the lines of emergency number 100 and medical help number 108 to enable people directly alert the state government agencies about any crime related to cow and progeny.

Narendra Singh Rawat, chairman of the Ayog said that as Uttarakhand high court has directed this week that every citizen has a right to bring to the notice of the "Veterinary Officer/Doctor throughout the State of Uttarakhand the location of the Cow or stray animal suffering from any disease or injury for its treatment", launching the helpline number will help preventing such crimes and related after effects such as disturbance in communal harmony.

"As honorable court has authorised every person of the state to bring to notice any such crime, we are planning to launch a helpline number on the lines of 100 and 108. However, the plan is yet just an idea, we are going to put in every possible effort to make it happen. This will put check on such crimes and it's after effects such as disturbance in communal harmony," said Rawat.

The Ayog is also listing "Gau Sangrakshks" across 13 district of the hill state through Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) who will be handed over identity cards.

At first, the title was "Gau Rakshak" but the Ayog decided to change it as the name got bad name after incidents of lynchings across the country.

"After our honorable Prime Minister expressed his anguish about the lynchings back in year 2016, we thought the title should be changed as these incidents have brought bad name to this title. So we changed it to "Gau Sangrashak" from "Gau Rakshak", " added the chairman of the Ayog.

The officials from the Ayog asserted that these people will only keep tab on such crimes and alert police and administration and will not be authorised to intervene on their own.

Till date total 49 names from six districts of the state have been finalized. These people have to go through thorough background verification checks before the Ayog hands them identity cards as "Gau Sanrakshak".

Maximum number of names for volunteering as a "Gau Sangrakshak" through Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) came up from Champawat district with 16 names followed by Rudraprayag (12), Udham Singh Nagar (10), Almora (7), Pithoragarh (3) and Tehri (1). The letters have been sent to the district magistrates of all districts to complete the compilation of the list of such volunteers 'as soon as possible'. District magistrates of the district are chairpersons of the SPCA of their respective districts in the state.

"The volunteers will only be authorized for keeping eye on any incident related to crime against cow and progeny about which they will have to alert the police and administration. They will not have any right to intervene on their own in any case. They will not be authorised to take law into their own hands. They will act as eyes and ears of the state government in the matter, " said Rawat, chairman of the Ayog.

Earlier, in July, this year, the Ayog decide to issue Aadhaar-linked ID cards to cow vigilantes in the state and to form ‘Cow Protection Committees’ in all the 13 districts of the hill state for protection and welfare of the animal.

