In order to minimise the number of stray cattle on the streets of the city, the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) is likely to start embryo transplantation in cows in six months. 

In the executive committee meeting held last month many councillors complained that stray cattle roaming on various streets cause road accidents due to which many people have been injured in many wards of the city. When they demanded a long term solution for this issue, the officials responded that the corporation will promote and use embryo transplant technology (ETT) to limit the number of male calves in the city. Talking about the progress of this plan so far, the municipal commissioner Abhishek Ruhela stated that the corporation is in talks with the Animal Husbandry department to carry out this process. He said, "We are presently discussing the embryo transplantation in the selected heifers (young female cows) of the corporation’s shelter homes with the department as it is already carrying out this process in other cows too. We are aiming to carry out the embryo transplantation in the selected heifers by March."

He informed that the corporation is presently providing shelter to about 1,500 cattle in MCD's shelter homes in which more than 50 per cent of cattle are male calves and bulls. He said that embryo transplantation by the corporation is being done as an initiative to promote it in the city so that locals adopt this practice too. "Male calves are left on streets by people because they are not considered as commercially beneficial. Since the birth of a female calf can be assured using ETT, it will help in minimising the number of male calves on streets," stated the commissioner. He added that this project will also augment the production of milk in the city. Besides this, the corporation is also working on developing an electric crematorium and biogas plant in the city and as per Ruhela, MCD is in talks with the department concerned to start these projects in the city in this financial year.