CHENNAI: In a bid to strengthen efforts to curb the stray cattle menace, the Tambaram municipal corporation has decided to involve a private agency in the operations. This agency will have to conduct cattle raids across all five zones of the corporation.
Controlling stray cattle has been one of the major challenges plaguing local bodies at present. Cattle seized in the Tambaram corporation limits are currently impounded in a shed in Kondamangalam panchayat near Kattankulathur. The decision to engage a private agency was taken as the civic body was grappling with a lack of adequate manpower and resources.
As per the agreement, the agency will arrange a vehicle fitted with additional facilities and also 10 workers, who are trained in such kinds of operations. The team will conduct cattle raids across all the five zones. They will seize stray cattle and move them to the shed in Kondamangalam. They will be paid Rs 1,500 for seizing a head of cattle.
The corporation officials also hope to extend the raids to the newly added areas as they are often criticised as going soft on owners of stray cattle. “The corporation workers are not trained and they often get injured during the seizure operations. The private agency will help ease the burden of the corporation workers,” said a corporation official.
Meanwhile, activists have raised certain concerns over involving a private agency in the operation. “Instead of strengthening its force, the corporation’s move to privatise the operations will only add an extra burden on the exchequer,” said Ramkumar, a resident and activist.
Corporation officials maintain that this move is only a stop-gap arrangement and the local body will acquire more resources in the coming months. “This arrangement will be taken up only on a pilot basis for six months. We are planning to procure new vehicles in adherence to the latest Animal Welfare Board standards. We will train our workers in the meantime,” said a senior corporation official.