No End to Stray Cattle Menace on Balangir Streets

Repeated complaints by the locals to the municipal authorities on the issue have failed to elicit any response

Stray cattle continue to crowd the streets of Balangir town causing inconvenience to the residents as well as commuters as the only canine house of the municipality lies in a dilapidated condition for the last several years.

Though the cattle can be found loitering in almost all localities of the town, the problem is acute on roads from Government bus stand to Rajendra College Chowk, from Samaleswari temple to daily market and Government bus stand to Bhagirathi Chowk. As there are fruit and vegetable markets near the government bus stand, the cattle flock there in large number.

Jatin Mishra, a resident of Gandhinagar, said the cattle in herds block the road from the bus stand to his house. “It is one of the busiest roads in the town as the Rajendra College and Collectorate are situated on the route. While returning home from the bus stand, I have to get down from my vehicle at least four times to drive away the cattle,” Mishra said.

Repeated complaints by the locals to the municipal authorities on the issue have failed to elicit any response.

Frustrated by the indifferent attitude of the municipality towards the problem, Ratan Moharana, a Balangir-based advocate, filed a case in the Lok Adalat requesting its intervention in the issue.

“The locals have been facing a lot of inconvenience as stray cattle roam free, blocking roads in several areas of Balangir town. It has not only caused traffic problems but also led to accidents. The municipality is not doing anything to curb the menace. The canine house which used to serve as a temporary shelter for stray cattle now lies abandoned,” Ratan stated in his case. Acting on it, the court directed the municipality in its ruling to renovate the canine house within four months.

Executive Officer of Balangir Municipality Santosh Behera admitted that stray cattle have been posing problems for the residents of the town. But they were unable to take any step as they were waiting for the new ADM to assume charge of the municipality. He assured that necessary measures would be taken within two weeks of the ADM taking charge.

After assuming charge last month, ADM Biranchi Narayan Rath said he would look into the issue and try to sort it out along with municipal officials.