Meerut, May 29 -- A directive from the basic education department in Bareilly has triggered widespread anger among teachers after schools were ordered to arrange fodder for stray cattle. According to the order, every school has been directed to arrange 46 kg of hay, while each development block has been assigned a target of collecting 100 quintals of fodder for the maintenance of stray cattle. The fodder is to be deposited at the offices of the block development officer (BDO) or the veterinary officer. The directive, reportedly issued on the instructions of the district administration, warned teachers and schools of strict departmental action in case of negligence or failure to comply. The move has sparked outrage among teachers and teacher unions, who have termed the order "impractical," "illegal," and "against the dignity of the teaching profession." The Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), citing instructions from the district magistrate, directed all block education officers (BEOs) to ensure immediate compliance with the order. However, district magistrate Avinash Singh later claimed he was unaware of the specific directive issued to teachers. He nevertheless stressed that the administration was committed to the protection and welfare of stray cattle. The issue gained momentum after a May 22 letter issued by the Nawabganj Block Education Officer went viral on social media. Copies of the order had also been sent to the BSA and the Veterinary Department. "Teachers are already under immense stress because of excessive workload. Such unrealistic orders are making things worse. Today they are asking us to provide fodder; tomorrow they may ask us to collect cow dung," a teacher said while reacting to the directive. Teacher Rakhi Gangwar strongly criticised the move, saying the order undermined the dignity of teachers. "Our primary duty is to educate children, but teachers are constantly being burdened with unrelated administrative tasks. Asking teachers to collect fodder or go door-to-door seeking donations is completely inappropriate," she said. Bhanu Pratap Singh, district president and state vice-president of the United Teachers Association (UTA), said teachers cannot be treated as a workforce for every government task. "The main responsibility of teachers is teaching, not collecting fodder. If such impractical orders are not stopped, teacher organisations will be forced to launch protests across the state," he said. Nawabganj Block Education Officer Satyadev defended the initial directive, saying teachers were not complying with earlier instructions, which led to the inclusion of disciplinary warnings in the order. He clarified that the instructions were issued on the directions of BSA Dr Vinita and not independently by him. However, Satyadev later clarified that the order had been revised and that donating fodder for stray cattle was now entirely voluntary, with no pressure or compulsion on teachers....