CHENNAI: The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations ( FIAPO ) has released the findings of ‘ Gau Gaatha ’, a nationwide investigation into gaushalas. The first-of-its-kind study reveals shocking problems in the gaushalas that seem to be running as dairies in disguise.For the investigation, the organisation surveyed gaushalas in 13 states and two Union territories -- Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Goa.Most gaushalas were found to be functioning as dairies, 66% of them separated the mother and calf, 86% were breeding their animals and 26% were tying the hind legs of the cows during milking.Animals were tied up with ropes less than 1m long in 50% of the gaushalas. As a result, the animals were unable to even lift their heads.76% of gaushalas tied up their animals most of the day. None of them provide any training to their staff members, leading to some questionable practices and not enough self-sustaining practices. 50% of the gaushalas were not using cow by-products, such as bovine dung and urine.“Historically, most Indians have held a compassionate view towards bovines, setting up gaushalas for their care, and enacting laws for their protection. However, it has become clear from our investigation that rhetoric and reality continue to be divorced and most gaushalas provide little better care than dairies, employing similarly cruel practices,” said Varda Mehrotra, executive director, FIAPO.The few facilities that don’t do it are crumbling under their own weight without adequate support from the government, she said.“With no training or support, taking life-long responsibility of thousands of animals has spelt doom for them. We need to wake up to the harsh reality of how we are really treating bovines in India,” she added.The report calls for urgent and strict implementation of the existing laws of animal welfare and urban governance. FIAPO has demanded immediate action by the Centre and the state governments to support these facilities and stand by their promises of caring for cows.FIAPO has come up with some recommendations for gaushalas: the government must provide much needed capacity building and resources for gaushalas, sustainable management practices should be employed, and there should be promotion and market-creation for alternative cow products, which are based on cow dung and cow urine.There should be stricter implementation of the existing animal welfare laws and agricultural universities should be given funding for research on alternative bovine products which are not milk-based.FIAPO has suggested that the central government make it mandatory for all districts to earmark areas as gochar lands where nutritious and high yielding varieties of fodder plants should be grown.