Activists raise alarm over dairy sector’s hidden climate impact

Patna: Young animal rights activists in the city staged a protest rally at Gandhi Maidan on Sunday against the environmental and ethical costs of the dairy sector. Carrying banners and posters, they marched near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, raising slogans against cruelty towards cows and highlighting the dairy industry’s carbon footprint.Young activist Rishika said Bihar has emerged as the ninth-largest milk-producing state in India, producing an estimated 128 lakh tonnes of milk in 2023-24. She said as the state govt pushes for further expansion of the dairy industry, it will come at a higher environmental cost.She added producing one litre of milk in Bihar requires 1,078 litres of water, placing pressure on regions already facing groundwater depletion. “Patna and much of Bihar continue to grapple with unbearable heat and water stress,” she said, adding the climate impact of dairy remains widely misunderstood despite its central role in daily diets. She said both dairy and slaughterhouses have been categorised as “red industries” by climate experts.Another activist Prince said methane emissions further highlight the climate impact. He said Bihar is the fourth highest livestock methane-emitting state in India, generating around 998 Gg annually from digestion and manure. With rising emissions and water scarcity, food security concerns can no longer be ignored, he added.