Sapkota's devotion to abandoned cattle

By Amar Raj Naharki,Tanahun, July 12: Prajapati Sapkota of Dumsi, Vyas Municipality–10, Tanahun district, takes care of helpless cows. For the past six years, Sapkota has been taking care of abandoned cattle with great energy and enthusiasm. 

Sapkota has been caring for the bovine protected in Vyas under the vision of President Ramchandra Paudel without any charge or fee. On July 4, the municipality honoured him for this during its 39th municipal assembly. In acknowledgement of his devotion to the well-being of the cows, the local government also gave him Rs. 10,000. 

President Paudel called Sapkota the same day he received the honour and congratulated him. His Personal Secretary Chiranjeevi Adhikari also came to Tanahun on Saturday to check on the cows and praised Sapkota for paying good attention to the quadrupeds.

Sapkota, though, worried that the number of cows in need of care was increasing, seemingly by the day. "Farmers either chase away their cows or bring them to the cities and leave them on the roads when they feel they are no longer worth the investment," he said.

"This starves them, makes them sick and puts them in pain." Unable to see this, Sapkota decided to assist the municipality's cow protection campaign, which is implemented by the cow protection consumer committee of Vyas Ward No. 10.

Cows hold both religious and national significance in Nepal. They are a holy animal in Hinduism, the religion followed by over 80 per cent of Nepalis, and also the country's national animal. Yet, people mistreat them.

"That is why, President Paudel took the initiative to care for the cows and has been supporting the consumer committee financially," Tulsiram Sapkota, chairman of the cow protection consumer committee and former chairman of Ward 10, told The Rising Nepal. The municipality has also provided economic assistance.

Tulsiram informed that the committee looked after 150 cows. "The Jersey cows do not know how to graze and the old oxen cannot chew," he said. "Prajapati Sapkota has been feeding the cows grass and hay for the past half dozen years. It is good that the municipality recognised him."