TTD may lose out to Israel firm on 'goshala' project

TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams' (TTD) dilly-dallying on the prestigious `goshala' project to breed desi cows at Palamaner in Chittoor district could prove costly, as the Israeli diary farming project is all set to take wings soon.
Even as the TTD is sleeping over the integrated 'goshala' project, the Israeli firm Elbit is making the right moves to have its own project take shape in the district.Sources said the Israeli firm had prepared a blueprint promising to invest over Rs 600 crore on the diary farm, which is set to come up in 350 acres in Palamaner.
"Their focus is more on cross-breeding with a target to produce 10,000 cows," a source said. It is learnt that some ex-officio members of the TTD board have already begun lobbying with the state government mandarins to take over the integrated 'goshala' land and hand it over to `interested' parties what with TTD dragging its feet on the project. "At least, the government could rake in some moolah by giving away the land to prospective buyers," an ex-officio member said.
Though the TTD and Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University have agreed to work in tandem for protecting the dwindling indigenous cattle wealth and augmenting pure milk production in the TTD diary farm, precious little has been done to get the project going.
In fact, both the institutions had signed an MoU in March this year to set up the integrated 'goshala' on 700 acres of land offered by the university near Palamaner. Talking to TOI, Sri Venkateswara Diary Farm director K Harnath Reddy expressed apprehensions over the Israeli venture.
"If we can develop self-sufficiency, where is the need to depend on others. Being the richest religious body, TTD should take the lead in protecting the desi breed which is facing extinction. Remember Hindus worship the cow as Gomatha," he felt.
SV Diary Farm spends Rs 3 crore annually for purchasing 6,000 litres of milk from TTD-run Balaji Diary to meet the demands of the consumers. "This problem could be overcome if the TTD evinces interest in 'goshala' project," an official said.
Criticising the TTD's inaction, K Adikeshavulu, a diary farmer from Palamaner, said the government should not ignore indigenous breed which produces quality milk. "We are hoping that the 'goshala' project will usher in white revolution in the district but powers that be in TTD seem to have other ideas," he said.
Sounding a warning note on cross-breeding at the cost of desi breeds, a veterinary official said: "The world-famous Punganur cattle is almost on the verge of extinction thanks to the goof up by the authorities and we cannot afford to lose more desi breed." Officials said only 30 Punganur cattle are left in the entire country today.