With 110 bighas of land, four large ponds, a commercial building in the heart of town, and over a century of history, Nigaul Gai Gaushala, a cow farm, in Gaushala Municipality should be a model institution for animal welfare and cooperative development in Nepal. Instead, it is in financial and managerial disarray, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Established in 1926 with a donation of 200 bighas of land and 1,500 high-breed cows by the then Darbhanga Maharaj Brahmadev Thakur, the Gaushala was once a prestigious center for cow protection and dairy development. Over time, however, poor management, unpaid dues, land encroachment, and legal disputes have brought it to its knees.
Despite state-of-the-art sheds and vast landholdings, the situation inside the Gaushala is grim. Malnourished cows survive on dry chaff and minimal green fodder. “Cows have even died of starvation here,” said an office source. “We are surviving on loans. Even the feed we buy is on credit, and lenders are pressuring us.”
Office accountant Rohit Kumar Karna said that managing salaries, medicines, and basic operations has become nearly impossible. “If we could collect the dues we’re owed, this wouldn’t be the situation,” he noted.
More than Rs 63.84m remains unpaid by Gaushala Municipality, as per an agreement signed during the Gaushala VDC days. According to the 2013 deal, the Gaushala was entitled to 25 percent of cattle market contract revenue. However, that payment ceased after two years, and the municipality has since been collecting fees unilaterally.
Tensions escalated this week when a violent clash erupted between Gaushala Municipality officials and Gaushala staff over market fee collection. Four people, including a ward chairperson, were injured, with one referred to Kathmandu for further treatment.
The municipality had awarded a 15-day market fee collection contract to one party, while the Gaushala had assigned the same task to another. Both claim legal control over the land, which intensified the conflict. Mayor Dipendra Mahato maintains the market falls under local government jurisdiction, while Gaushala officials say they were never consulted.
“The biggest issue is mismanagement and lack of responsibility,” said Bir Bahadur Chaudhary, acting chief of Nigaul Gaushala. “Everyone is interested in the land and assets, but no one wants to take responsibility for the cows or the institution’s mission.”
Adding to the disappointment is the failure of a once-promising Rs 1bn high-level research project, envisioned by the National Cooperative Development Board. Despite Rs 42m already spent on infrastructure—including sheds, storage, and a milk collection center—the project has stalled due to negligence.
“This could have transformed the livestock sector in Nepal. But due to lack of follow-up, it never progressed,” said former Co-chair Saroj Kumar Sharma.
Meanwhile, more than 50 bighas of fertile land under the Gaushala’s ownership have been illegally encroached. From Jalpadevi Road to Ganesh Mandir Chowk, plots originally registered under the Gaushala’s name are now occupied without legal lease or compensation. Despite clear land records, the absence of political will, legal enforcement, or institutional protection has allowed squatters and opportunists to exploit the Gaushala’s legacy.
As Nepal’s oldest Gaushala faces an uncertain future, urgent intervention is needed. Transparency in financial dealings, legal enforcement of agreements, recovery of dues, and renewed government support could help revive the organization.
Local residents are disheartened. “This Gaushala is part of our identity. Seeing cows die of hunger while people fight over land and money is heartbreaking,” said one elderly local. There are growing calls for an all-party meeting and a new binding agreement between the Gaushala and the Municipality—to protect both the land and the lives of the animals it was created to serve.
