KOLKATA: Visva-Bharati is setting up a cowshed at Sriniketan, a neighbourhood adjacent to Santiniketan that houses several departments of the university, to shelter stray cows roaming the streets of the township.“The plan to have a shed for cows has been drawn up. Arrangements are being made to have feeding areas for the animals and provide them with drinking water. Two adjacent plots will be used to grow fodder and for grazing. The cattle will graze in the field all day and will be tethered in the cowshed at night,” vice-chancellor Probir Kumar Ghosh said at a press meet on Wednesday.The VC said fresh milk procured from the cows will be served to children of Patha Bhavana while biogas produced from organic waste, especially cow dung, will be used to power lights and fans in that area. “The plan is environment friendly and will benefit everyone. Our campus will remain clean and at the same time the unattended cattle will get fodder and be healthy,” Ghosh said. He added that if any owner turns up to claim a cow, the person will have to show proof and will be fined for letting the animal stray.A campus source said the university has a dairy farm under its agriculture institute to provide practical lessons to agriculture students. It was established on the initiative of Rabindranath Tagore in 1906.A teacher said, “A proposal to set up a gaushala was floated around 2016-2017 but was dropped after it met with protests.”According to a VB insider, the university has a dairy farm under Palli Siksha Bhavana, its agriculture institute, to provide practical lessons to agriculture students. It was established on the initiative of Rabindranath Tagore in 1906. But this is the first time that a shed is being built for stray cattle.During the press meet, VC Ghosh also shared the university’s plans for its convocation this month. “We have sent an invitation to PM Modi, the chancellor, and requested for a date from the PMO. We are expecting a date any moment,” he said.For the first time, Visva-Bharati will also be participating in the QS World Rankings, Ghosh said. He added that all necessary documents for this have been submitted. The university will participate in NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) as usual. “We are optimistic that the quality of education at Visva-Bharati will rise,” the VC said.The VC also said that by April, the university aims to turn “paperless” for more transparency and better monitoring. Besides, an MoU has been signed with the Asiatic Society to digitise documents from Rabindra Bhavana, the Central Library and the Central Office free of charge within two years. The Society will also train university staff.Ghosh added, “I will be interacting with students to hear their grievances and meeting with alumni. We are also ensuring that the campus is protected according to UNESCO guidelines with the cooperation of local administration.”
