Bhopal, Jan 18 (IANS): The country's first cremation ground for cows will be prepared in Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal and the city's municipal authorities are already on the lookout for a site for the purpose.

Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma said: "The municipal corporation wants to prepare a cow cremation centre for their salvation. We will do it as soon as we find a suitable land for it."

Sharma said that the project was already under discussion during former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's regime, and now they were taking it forward.

Hailing the civic authorities' effort, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamalnath said the government would encourage the efforts made for the welfare of cows. The government was committed to fulfilling its promises, he said.

The Congress had promised to construct cowsheds at Panchayat level in its manifesto before the Assembly elections.

There are an estimated 227 crore cattle in the state, out of which 90 lakh are milch cows.

Farmer leader Kedar Sirohi has also welcomed the effort and urged the government to take in notice the cows who are dying due to malnutrition at early age.

Stray cattle have become a problem in the state and often cause accidents and destroy crops.