Cows produce milk just like humans and precisely for the same reasons – to feed their new-born. But cows in cities like Mumbai are rarely given a chance to celebrate motherhood. Their calves, mostly males, are weaned away within a day of birth and killed or kept in precarious conditions to be sold as veal days later.

Take a trip to areas like Kurla or Goregaon in the early hours, on many days you will see carcasses of young calves, skinned (because it makes ‘good’ soft leather) and strewn along the tracks. Tabelawallas often spare female calves since they can be ‘milked’ later.

But that is not the only reason why drinking local milk in Mumbai is a bad idea. Once the calves are snatched away, the mother cows are hooked up to milking machines numerous times a day. Cows are drugged, genetically manipulated, artificially inseminated to produce five times more milk than what they would produce for their young ones. Cows naturally live for 25 years, but those in the tabelas die after 4-6 years and a sad death too. They often develop limb problems because of little or no exercise and bodies contract various diseases due to the unhygienic conditions in the tabelas. And after the cows finish producing milk for human, they are silently packed off to the slaughter house. Cow slaughters banned in some states in India, including Maharashtra.

And if this is also not reason enough to stop drinking cow’s milk in Mumbai, note that cows are often given a good measure of bovine growth hormones which lead to agonising infection of their udders. Not to forget the countless studies which conclude that drinking milk can actually put people at risk for prostate cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, acne and acidity too. Yes, there are enough studies to conclude the contrary too. Of course, a few vegans will not save a calf at the tabela nor will it ensure the best of health but it is just so much more healthy to have a fresh juice instead of milk.

And milk lovers need not fret. An array of delectable non-dairy products like milk made from soy, rice, and almond are easily available. There is also the Vegan Society in Mumbai which meets regularly and conducts ‘healthy cooking’ workshops. Its blog page also discusses non-milk recipes. There is also the Vegan Shake at Café Coffee Day (made from coffee, chocolate, and ice) for those who don’t mind splurging and the Vegan sandwich at Ray’s Café in Bandra which is not to be missed by non-vegans too.