Villagers of Chitradurga, Hassan, Tumkur, and surrounding districts allege irregularities in maintaining and auctioning the Amruth Mahal cattle, an indigenous cattle breed, by the Department of Animal Husbandry.
“The department has been selling cross breeds in the name of famous Amruth Mahals and cheating farmers. They have also been selling unhealthy and young cattle for the sake of profits,” alleged Venkanna D Malkappa, a farmer from Haveri district. The department was set to auction 25 pairs of Amruth Mahals at the Konehalli fair on Wednesday, and were expecting to generate `35 lakh. However, the farmers questioned the department’s motive behind the auction and this led to an argument. Tensions prevailed in the area till the police intervened.
The auction was stopped abruptly as the officials failed to arrive at an agreement with the farmers. The officials, however, accepted the failure on their part.
It’s a status symbol, sign of power
Many farmers, who travelled over 300 km, had to go empty handed without bidding for Amruth Mahal cattle, considered by many as a status symbol.
Of the 2,000 plus farmers who had gathered at the venue, 50-year-old Vegalamane Borayya of Chitradurga district was the first to win the bid for a pair of cattle on sale. He did not mind travelling 150 km to Konehalli of Tiptur (Tumkur), where the Department of Animal Husbandry (DOAH) was holding the auction to pay Rs 1.15 lakh for a pair of Amruth Mahal.
Borayya said, “People may sell their land at times of crisis but not Amruth Mahals. Amruth Mahals are equal to a tractor and help us in moving heavy goods. ”
It is said that Tipu Sultan used Amruth Mahal cows for pulling cannon carts during the war and allocated around 240 grazing fields covering 4.13 lakh acres spread through the state for its upkeep.
According to officials, there are only about 1,500 Amruth Mahal cattle in the state that are in the Amruth Mahal cattle breeding and training centres.
The main centres where these cattle are maintained are Ajjampura, Birur, Habbanaghatta, Basur, Lingadahalli, and Arsikere, spread over four districts.
However, the area now is said to have reduced to less than 20,000 acres with just around 70 Amruth mahal pastures. “While the highest bid last year was Rs 1.65 lakh, it has not crossed Rs 1.2 this year,” said Ranganath H, assistant director (Amruth Mahal), DOAH.