Berhampur: In a distressing reminder of the environmental threat posed by plastic waste, veterinary doctors in Odisha’s Ganjam district successfully removed nearly 40 kg of plastic, including polythene bags, from the stomach of a stray cow during a three-hour surgery at a government-run hospital on Monday.

According to Anjan Kumar Das, Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) of Ganjam, the operation was performed on a five-year-old cow that had been suffering for days and was brought in after failing to respond to initial treatment.

“The condition of the herbivore is stable following the operation, and it will stay in the hospital for about a week,” Das confirmed.

The cow, rescued from the Hilpatna area, was transported to the veterinary hospital on Sunday in an animal ambulance after showing severe signs of distress. According to doctors, it had difficulty passing stool and urine, and had been visibly kicking its belly in pain.

Dr. Satya Narayan Kar, who led the surgical team, said the cow’s condition was caused by the accumulation of plastic it had unknowingly consumed while foraging through garbage.

“Stray cows, which feed on leftovers discarded in plastic bags, consume plastic materials. This led to the animals' intestines getting blocked. If left unattended for long, they will die,” said Dr. Kar.

He added, “The clinical examination of the cow revealed the accumulation of plastic waste in its stomach. In order to remove these, we have conducted a major surgery.”

This is not an isolated incident. In 2023, the same veterinary hospital had performed a similar procedure on another stray cow, removing around 30 kg of plastic waste from its stomach.

The latest case has sparked renewed concern among environmental activists. Sudhir Rout, who has been actively campaigning against plastic use in the region, said the incident exposes the ongoing violation of plastic bans in Silk City (Berhampur).

“The incident has revealed the use of polythene and other plastic materials in Silk City, despite the ban on their use, transport and manufacture,” Rout said.

He urged the Berhampur Municipal Corporation to take stricter action.

“I appeal to the authorities to strictly enforce the rules against the use of polythene,” he added.

Despite existing bans on single-use plastics, the continued prevalence of plastic waste poses a serious threat not just to the environment, but also to animal life.