CHENNAI: The city corporation recently issued a notice to a cattle farm functioning along the Adyar River bank in RA Puram for allegedly releasing farm waste directly into the waterbody. The action was taken following complaints from students of Dr MGR Janaki College for Women.
Around 40 cattle are reared in the dairy farm situated near the college. “Due to improper maintenance of the farm, the stench reaches our classrooms. Since the farm waste is dumped along the riverside, the area is a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” said Savitha, a PG student at the college.
In the notice, the civic body asked the cattle farm to stop discharging waste into the waterbody and follow all guidelines regarding the disposal of waste. “Infrastructure mandated by the government to run a cattle farm must be created. The wastes should be discharged through a separate connection,” the notice read.
Meanwhile, the farm owners said their facility is now adhering to all directions issued by the corporation. “We will follow all directions issued by competent authorities. We are rearing the cattle within the farm premises itself,” they told TNIE.
It may be noted that the city corporation has not been issuing any license to cattle owners over the past two decades, though the rules mandate it. Corporation officials said the practice has slowly fizzled out in the city.
However, the civic body officials do undertake inspections of cattle farms in some zones. Experts have urged the corporation to extend the inspection to all the zones in Chennai.