Report 3

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus,

 

PAMHO. AGTSP.

 

We got back from India a few days ago and are trying to catch up with all

services. The following is the India proposal which was passed with a large

majority. The Mayapur web page www.mayapur.info has it posted also along with

all the GBC resolutions. It is also published there the GBC budget of which the

Cow Ministry is to get Rs. 200,000-about $40000 American dollars. If you look

at how the GBC budget is written up, our share is more than most others and

there is only 2 other ministries getting some funding, both lower amounts. The

GBC deputies explained that the idea is to make it known that the Cow Ministry

needs to be financed. So if the budget is higher one year then the Ministry can

get more.

 

Due to the fact that personally visiting the goshallas had a very positive

effect in improving everyday operations, it has been recommended by the GBC

deputies that we use that money first for Balabhadra to travel. So the next

trip will be for him to visit Mayapur goshalla next year to see how everything

has been carried out in accordance with the below resolution. Also he would be

visiting the Vrndavana goshalla. When you read the GBC resolutions, you will

see that there has been a major management change in the Vrndavana management

arrangement. Due to the fact that problems in the Vrndavana goshalla are

interconnected with the previous management arrangement it was not possible to

come to a plan for progressive improvement as it was at Mayapur. We have

discussed with members of the new management team the cow situation and look

forward to discussing with them how to improve the goshalla which they consider

on the priority list.

 

In all we considered the trip a success with "Misson Accomplished". GBC and GBC

deputies were saying they were glad we could come. It seems they all softened

when we met and wanted to help us. Like the Mayapur Managemnt said, we can see

now that you don't want to shut us down, you want us to have a first class cow

protection program and your helping us do that.

 

If anyone has any questions please ask. Its easier for me to answer questions

then to keep on writting, and that way I am addressing the points that are of

interest to the members.

 

Your servant,

Chayadevi

 

Proposal: Establish Controlled Breeding of Cows In India

 

PRESENTATION OF PROPOSAL :

 

WHEREAS, Action Order 502 Cow Protection in Mayapur and Vrindavana passed in

2001 reads:

 

"If the Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture does not receive reports

from either Vrndavana and Mayapura temples regularly during 2001, starting on

the above date (April 30 2001), then all breeding, purchasing, and acceptance

of donations of cows shall be stopped for the delinquent temple until proper

compliance is met."

 

WHEREAS, The Ministry of Cow Protection has not received all quarterly reports

required during 2001 from the Vrindavana Goshalla and reports received have

been inadequate;

 

WHEREAS, there are no Cow/Land trusts to protect the existing cows' land from

other uses by temple management as required by ISKCON Law 507;

 

WHEREAS, Action Order 502 states "neither the Vrindavana Goshalla nor the

Mayapur Goshalla have sufficient land for the ever-increasing numbers of cows,"

and the situation has not changed. However, Mayapur temporary lands are being

made available to the Goshala and long-term plans will be worked out with the

ISKCON minister of cow protection and agriculture;

 

WHEREAS, Mayapur Goshala had previously given animals away to congregational

members, that practice has stopped;

 

WHEREAS, Mayapur Management Staff and Goshala Staff met with the Minister of

Cow Protection and Agriculture on March 9 2002, and it was agreed that no

animals were to be given out from the Goshala until reevaluation and agreement

by the above mentioned parties;

 

WHEREAS, from the approximately 23 Indian goshalas only 4 have reported, and

not adequately;

 

WHEREAS, the Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture has recently toured

some of the Indian goshalas and assessed strong inadequacies;

 

WHEREAS, the Indian Continental Commitee (ICC) has not yet been able to achieve

a consensus among the indian leadership on goshala management policies suitable

in the Indian context;

 

WHEREAS, the ICC in November 2001 passed a resolution stating that, "ISKCON

India centers are strictly prohibited from giving away or selling cows, bulls

or calves living on ISKCON farms to others outside of ISKCON Management;

 

WHEREAS, there are numerous opportunties in India for instituting

self-sufficiency in ISKCON goshallas through utilizing cow by-products such as

cow dung and urine, ox-power, etc. However, such alternatives have not been

sufficiently explored and instead all goshallas are relying on practices such

as external subsides and giving away of animals in order to make ends meet.

Unrestricted breeding and the use of non-indigenous breeds simply make

self-sufficiency increasingly more difficult to achieve.

 

WHEREAS, there is need to allow the existing goshallas in India time to

reorganize their cow protection programs to more holistic models rather than

simply focusing on milk production;

 

PRESENTATION OF RESOLUTION:

That those ISKCON Goshallas in India which remain in violation of ISKCON law

507 of 1999 shall restrict the breeding or otherwise acquiring of cows for milk

production to producing only such milk as required for temple deities until

such time as they have established satisfactory long-range plans for KRISHNA

Conscious holistic cow protection, and in other ways have compiled with ISKCON

Law.

[Guest guest]

I guess now you have read that it wasn't $40,000 but $4000. Read previous

text. So I hope you are not too disappointed.

 

612. GBC Budget for 2002

[ACTION ORDER] Resolved, That the GBC Body hereby approves the following

budged for the year 2002:

 

Indian Funds Collected:

Rs.200,000-Cost of Annual General Meeting

Rs. 300,000-Mayapur and Mumbai Secretariat Offices

 

Funds from West:

Rs. 200,000-Cow Protection Ministry

Rs. 50,000-Health and Welfare Newsletter

Rs. 200,000-Implementing Mediation and Ombudsman Program

Rs. 100,000 -Constitution Development

Rs. 100,000-Ministry of Educational Development

Rs. 50,000-Deity Worship Ministry

Rs. 25,000-Property Office

Rs. 250,000-Executive Committee Expenses

 

 

-

Syamasundara (das) (Bhaktivedanta Manor - UK) <Syamasundara (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

Cow (Protection and related issues) <Cow (AT) pamho (DOT) net>

Friday, March 22, 2002 4:14 AM

Report 3

 

 

> Excellent. Thank you both very much for your dedication. It is a testament

> to both your service that the GBC have invested so much trust and respect

> towards the Cow ministry.

>

> ys syam