The 15-year-old award-winning farmer in Velliyamattom found it unable to fathom the love and care he got from all quarters of Kerala, just a day after his prized 13 cows died eating Tapioca skin as fodder.
Ministers J. Chinchu Rani and Roshy Augustine spared time to reach the place and console the family. The Livestock Development Board will provide five insured milch cows, promised the ministers. Thrithala Gram Panchayat also assured assistance. Adding more headlines, film actor Jayaram reached the place and handed over a check of Rs.5 lakh to the family.
Actor Mammootty will pay Rs 1 lakh while Prithviraj will pay 2 lakh. Lulu Group handed over Rs.5 lakhs and Milma will pay Rs 45,000 to the family. Kerala Feeds will provide fodder for one month to the farmer. Animal Husbandry Department will also provide training to the student farmer in scientific cow husbandry.
MLA P J Joseph gifted a milch cow to the young farmer while MP Dean Kuriakose allotted Rs 20,000. CPM general secretary offered two cows to the family as Opposition leader V D Satheeshan dialled the family and provided assistance. Kozhikode Guruvayoorappan College NSS Program Officer Jibin Baby will donate five cows. Catholic Congress and Kerala Home Design Facebook Association will donate one cow each. Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt came to the house and extended his support.
15 out of 22 cows on the farm of the 15-year-old, who won the government award for child dairy farmer, died after eating tapioca skin. The other cows, which were in critical condition, survived the accident.
Kochu Rani, Aishwarya Rani, Maha Rani, twins Ponnu and Minnu, Mariamma, Martha, Kannappi…were the names of some cows that died in the incident. Kerala Kaumdui had once featured Mathew Benny, the award-winning farmer, who had to fill his father’s shoes after the latter’s sudden death in 2020.
Actor Jayaram said he felt the pain of Mathew as he remembered passing through the exact phase when 22 cows on his farm died suddenly.
