Madikeri: Speakers at a function organised here to mark the entry of the "Go Yatra" here on Saturday, stressed the need to take advantage of the Indian cattle breeds for various purposes, including products derived from cows such as milk and cow urine, which is used for treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Mahesh Murthy, an expert in agriculture, said cattle-dependent agriculture was best suited for the country. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers had resulted in the destruction of bio-diversity. Overuse of fertilizers had resulted in the poor sugarcane production in Mandya, he said. The "Go Yatra" entered Kushalnagar on Friday.

The Soliga community in the Biligirirangana Hills had demonstrated how organic farming could boost the yield among crops, Mr. Murthy said. They grew 12 different varieties of banana, beans and other fruits, 14 varieties of double beans without using fertilizer or pesticide, he said. Cow urine, which had proved effective even against cancer, could easily fall into the hands of the multinational companies, which could patent them, he cautioned.

President of the Madikeri Bar Association B.J. Chinnappa said modern trends in agriculture, including mechanisation, had not been beneficial to farmers. He asked the organisers, Ramchandrapura Math, Hosnagar, Shimoga, to spread the message of protection and preservation of cows in the rural areas of the State.

Working president of the Kodagu `Go Raksha Samiti B.D. Manjunath said that there was a move to establish `Go Shalas' (cow shelters) in Kodagu.

Swami Anandateerta of Talacauvery math in Kodagu recalled the importance of the products of cows such as milk, urine and others.

A procession, involving a tableaux of a cow and its calf, was taken out in the morning on the main streets of the city, before converging on the Cauvery Kalakshetra. Folk songs rendered by the artists from Sagar preceded the main function. A skit on the usefulness of organic farming was also performed by the artists.

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