Interested in a purely natural therapy to get rid of those extra pounds around your belly or a remedy for irregular bowel movements, skin aliments and even cancer? Why not try gaumutra (cow urine) for a change. After having introduced a comprehensive law to protect the cow and her progeny from being slaughtered, the BJP Government of Uttarakhand has decided to conduct research on the medicinal properties of cow urine and market its products. Based on the similar immensely successful operation in Gujarat, the ambitious plan involves collection of cow urine with the help of co-operatives and market it among those interested in trying the have it for medicines purposes.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri B.C. Khanduri laid the foundation stone of the research center in Rishikesh on December 18. The project is the brain-child of state Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat. The government has allocated a sum of Rs. 20 crore for the project and, if need be, the amount would be hiked based on the requirements.
Claiming that protection of cows benefited the humanity by combating environmental pollution, controlling disease and providing a ready source of income to people, Shri Khanduri said the research centre would focus on the medicinal qualities inherent in cow dung and urine.
?Studies conducted by the Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute shows that urine procured from the auburn coloured cows has properties to fight cancer,? said Agriculture Minister Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat. Based on such findings, the state government has named this species of cows as Badri Gai and is planning to conduct a survey of all auburn-coloured bovines in every district with the intention of bottling their urine and selling it. According to the Minister, several leading companies dealing with Ayurvedic medicines are procuring cow urine at Rs. 4 per liter from the state at present. Yoga guru Swami Ramdev is also understood to have expressed willingness to buy the raw product at Rs. 6 per liter for his Divya Yog Pharmacy in Haridwar. The center is spread over 30 acres in Chamoli district, which would conduct research and development into medicinal aspects of cow urine. According to a survey carried out in 2003, Uttarakhand has over 11 lakh local cows and nearly 1.77 lakh cross-bred cows. As per estimates, one cow discharges nearly 4-5 liters of urine everyday.
Acharya Balakrishna of the Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, praised the government for prohibiting cow slaughter in the state. He urged the government to make all products made from the cow urine tax-free, which the Chief Minister accepted immediately. Praising the efforts undertaken by the state government, MLA Shri Premchand Aggarwal claimed that the research undertaken by the centre would help cure incurable diseases and at the same time help the agricultural sector. Dr R.S. Chauhan, deputy director of Indian Institute of Vaternary Research, Bareilly, gave detailed information about the research conducted on Panchgavya and cow urine at the institute. He said the cow urine and dung has the unique quality to cure some very critical diseases. Present on the occasion were Shri Gaurishankar Mahto of Geetabhavan, Smt. Susheela Balooni, chairperson of Uttarakhand Andolankari Samman Parishad, Shri Maheshwar Bahuguna, president of Teachers Cell of BJP, city president Shri Godwani, block president K.S. Rana, additional secretary of animal husbandry Shri P.S. Jangpangi, additional director, animal husbandry Shri R.P. Bahuguna and others.
