Greedy owners extract milk and leave them to shovel in the garbage
A horrifying scene is becoming commonplace in almost every city, big or small, in India—cows searching for food in garbage heaps, calves swallowing plastic, animals wandering the streets, and a population struggling with filth. On one hand, society worships the cow as “mother,” while on the other, those same cows are dying on the streets due to hunger, disease, and negligence. This is not just a failure of the sanitation system, but a living testament to our social insensitivity and duplicity.
Today, the morning scene in most cities across the country is nearly identical. After milking, cattle owners let their cows loose. These animals then wander the streets, markets, and garbage dumps, searching for food. Rotten vegetables, plastic bags, medical waste, and toxic garbage enter their stomachs, gradually leading to their deaths. Many times, kilograms of plastic are removed from cows’ stomachs during operations, yet society’s sensibilities remain unabated.
The biggest question is with those cattle breeders who consider animals merely “milking machines.” Cows are worshipped as long as they generate income, but as soon as they are abandoned on the streets, their responsibility is considered over. This is the ugliest face of greed and inhumanity. What culture or religion is it to abandon the animal that sustains the household, pays the children’s fees, and provides the family income, to forage in the garbage?
Ironically, the cow is the most rousing emotion in the country. From political to religious platforms, “Mother Cow” is hailed. People post videos on social media of themselves feeding cows, claiming to be great animal lovers. But if there was true love and respect for the cow, no cow would be seen hungry, injured, or eating plastic on city streets.
Today, the situation has deteriorated so much that stray animals in cities are not only losing their own lives but also posing a threat to the lives of ordinary people. Thousands of people are injured in road accidents every year. Animals suddenly appearing in the dark of night often cause fatal accidents. But neither the administration nor society seems serious.
The municipal corporation and local administration periodically talk about launching campaigns, but the problem is never addressed at its root. Some animals are captured and sent to cow shelters, action is shown for a few days, and then everything returns to normal. The real problem is that animal owners are not held accountable. Why is there no strict action taken against someone who abandons their animal on the street?
This crisis isn’t limited to animals. The waste and filth spread across cities has become a major threat to public health. Open garbage heaps are breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flies, and infections. During the rainy season, this garbage clogs drains, causing waterlogging and a disease crisis. Yet, we still try to shirk our responsibilities by considering cleanliness solely a government responsibility.
India makes grand claims about “smart cities” and modern development. Shining roads, sprawling malls, and tall buildings have become symbols of progress. But true development is where both humans and animals can live with dignity and security. In a city where cows search for food in garbage and people pass by, taking the scene for granted, development is merely a sham.
Our biggest problem is that we’ve turned sensitivity into a performance. It’s easy to show compassion in front of the camera, but it’s harder to demand systemic change. People donate to temples, go on pilgrimages, and debate cow issues, yet remain silent about the filth and plight of animals around them.
Politics has also been solely focused on this issue for emotional gain. Elections are marked by speeches about cows and religion, but there’s no concrete policy in sight to address the dying cows on the streets. Crores of rupees are claimed to be spent on cow shelters, yet the number of stray animals in cities continues to grow. Where is this money going? Who will hold accountable?
The saddest thing is that generations of children are becoming accustomed to this inhumane sight. The daily sight of injured animals on the streets, cows searching for food in garbage, and the filth of the environment slowly kills their senses. A society that cannot even be kind to its animals cannot remain humane towards humans for long.
The solution is clear, all that is needed is willpower. First, the responsibility of livestock owners must be established. Registration of every animal should be mandatory, and heavy fines should be imposed for abandoning animals on the street. Municipal bodies should implement modern waste management systems. Strict action is needed against the open use of plastic and improper waste disposal. Transparent audits of the actual condition of cow shelters should be conducted.
Society must also change its behavior. Throwing garbage on the streets, leaving plastic in the open, and blaming the government for every problem is an easy way out. Cities change through civic discipline and collective responsibility.
Today, the garbage strewn across the streets and cows searching for food in it isn’t just a spectacle of mismanagement. They reflect the moral decline of our society. There’s a lot of noise about cows, but the silence about their real suffering is even greater. Until this double standard is eradicated, neither will cities be truly clean, nor will animals be safe, nor will our society remain worthy of being called sensitive.
