Yesterday was the birthday of Dr Verghese Kurien who changed the lives of millions of farmers and established a popular brand Amul. In our country, we should take care of cows, buffalos and goats for augmenting milk production and eliminating malnutrition. Children with weak liver cannot digest strong milk so goat milk should be given to them. Mahatma Gandhi in his later years consumed goat milk. With rampant urbanization, the upkeep of cows is becoming difficult day by day. After visiting Argentina, you will notice healthy cows grazing on lush greenery and compare this with the food consumed by our cows and buffalos. They have picked up the expertise of emptying out the plastic bags in the hope of finding some food in it.
When we were young, we could afford a “ kapila” cow and a “ murra bhains” who were fed green “ghas” and “ bhusa” and “ khali”. Scenario has changed today as urbanites dislike cows and shoo them away. In summer these animals feel thirsty. However, some people have installed big earthen pots outside their buildings gate. They fill water in those pots which enable stray cows to quench their thirst. Some women and kids feed them with left over “rotis” and vegetable peelings but there is lack of green grass in the city. It is reported that 46 per cent of our youth in Mumbai are obese as they don’t drink milk, follow a sedentary lifestyle and relish junk food instead of having simple home cooked food.
We talk about mundane development which is necessary but at the same time progress of citizenry is vital too. The situation has become so bad that we cannot find a honest CBI Director. They have huge bungalows in Delhi. They should sleep by ten in the night and get up early to feed the cattle at home and perform some exercise which will improve their health. On the contrary, they meet shady people at night.
Mango and milk is the staple diet of most of the villagers during summer season. They don’t eat anything else. In Malihabad area ( Dashehri mangoes) they used to have mango parties followed by milk and one could see the branches of mango trees literally touching the ground. “Tukmi” mangoes were preferred over “ kalmi”. These days the orchards are sold much in advance and all mangoes are exported. The government must provide food at subsidized rates to citizens first before thinking about exporting it. Adulteration of milk sold in plastic bags is rampant in Mumbai. The government must take stringent measures to curb adulteration of milk. Many times, I try to purchase milk from a nearby lane and also try to change the brand but the shop keeper prevents me by saying, “Uncle who doosra hai”.