VIJAYAWADA: Veterinary science is a noble profession that demands a selfless commitment to serve the needs of animals and the community to improve the quality of public life by ensuring food security and safety as well as preventing and controlling diseases under the ‘One Health’ concept, Governor S Abdul Nazeer said in his address during the 12th convocation of Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University on Saturday.
Citing Article 51A (g) of the Constitution which places a duty on the citizens of India to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, he pointed out that India is predominantly an agrarian economy, with its system of agriculture being based on utilisation of cow and its progeny.
“In the olden days, the agriculture yield used to be better, mainly due to the use of cow dung and cow urine as manure/pesticides and the use of bullocks for ploughing the fields. Cow dung was considered an anti-pollutant and cows were considered as wealth and a measure of wealth. Sage Dhanwanthri is said to have made a great medicine called ‘Panchagavya’, consisting of cow milk, ghee, curd, urine and dung,” he explained. Our immunity from diseases, our prosperity, livelihood, and organic, eco-friendly, sustainable, low-cost and quality-yield agriculture and pollution-free environment depends, to a very large extent, on our cattle, he added.
The Governor said the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has been supporting cow-based natural farming and is procuring only organic products for offering food to deities and for making prasadams. He lauded the TTD for donating bulls and cows to encourage farmers to take up natural farming and purchase organic products from them. TTD has also taken up the initiative to protect and promote desi cow breeds, he added.