The Patna administration will impose fines on cattle (cow, ox and buffalo) owners if they abandon the animals on roads.

The government has also decided to keep the abandoned cattle in cowsheds and personally take care of them.

A few days back, chief minister Nitish Kumar had called for a national debate on "cow vigilantism" after a spate in lynchings across the country, saying the " gaurakshaks (cow protecting groups)" were not doing anything to save and serve the abandoned cattle that roam on the streets.

Nitish had said Bihar will be "the first state to show how to take care of the abandoned cow".

On this concern of Nitish, Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal has decided to take care of the abandoned cow and instructed the officials of Patna Municipal Corporation to conduct a survey of such cattle in their areas.

Agarwal has instructed the executive officer of New Capital Circle, Bankipore Circle, Kankerbagh Circle and Patna City Circle to identify the abandoned cattle.

"Our purpose is the welfare of the abandoned cattle as they eat plastic and garbage for want of proper food. Many abandoned cattle die in road accidents and others get electrocuted. We have thus decided to take care of such cattle," Agarwal said.

On the directives issued after the instruction of Nitish, Agarwal said: "Yes, the chief minister has asked me to do so and I have recently visited Srikrishna Gaushala in Patna City. I have asked the officials there to indicate the abandoned cattle with red so that they could be easily identified. The owners of the cattle, who leave them on the road, would be imposed a fine as per the provision of the Bihar Municipal Act."

At present, Srikrishan Gaushala has 200 abandoned cows out of which 50 give milk.

Agarwal said as things stand now 100 more cattle can be accommodated in the gaushala (cowshed). The cowshed was built on government land and maintained by a society. The Khushrupur cowshed has 150 abandoned cattle.

"I have instructed the veterinary officer to depute a doctor every Tuesday and Thursday along with a compounder at Srikrishna Gaushala. If more cowsheds are required, we will construct and run them," Agarwal said.

The Patna magistrate has also appealed residents to come forward in saving the stray cattle. Agarwal said while renewing the lease agreement of cowsheds on government land, the rates would be charged as per the market rate.

"We need revenue to run the cowsheds and to take care of the abandoned cattle. For that, the lease money should comply with the market rate," Agarwal said.

Last week, Nitish had tweeted with a picture that there have been 66 incidents of violence in the name of "cow protection" between January 2010 and June 2017 in which 29 people were killed.

Nitish had also said those talking about gauraksha were not doing anything to protect stray cattle. Nitish had emphasised that real gauraksha is to serve the stray cattle left abandoned on the streets after they stop giving milk.

Milk-giving cattle is protected everywhere but once they stop doing so they are abandoned. Nitish had said: "If anyone talks about gauraksha then protect the stray cattle."