CHENNAI: Apart from bad roads, residents of Chennai’s suburbs have to put with stray cattle menace as well. Areas such as Chitlapakkam, Poonamallee, Pallavaram and Kundrathur are badly affected as action by authorities is minimal, compared to areas in the city.
Bala Chandar of Chitlapakkam said when he was riding with his friend on a two-wheeler, a cow ran across, resulting in an accident. ‘’Hundreds of cows roam the streets daily and even after many complaints, no action has been taken. About five to six accidents happened recently,’’ he said.
K Sudhakar, another resident, recalled that a family was caught in between two ferocious cows, which were fighting outside the police station at Chitlapakkam. ‘’People just watched as everyone was afraid to go near them. I had to speed up my two-wheeler to make the cows run away,’’ he said.
Apart from the menace, instances of cattle deaths due to owners letting the animals roam is also high. Months ago, a cow died of electric shock at Chitlapakkam while a week ago, a cow fell into an open sewage drain near Babu street. Residents said a cow fell into an open well too.
This reporter spotted a dozen cattle nibbling plastic on an open ground at Poonamallee, adjacent to where piles of medical waste were dumped. Under the law, civic bodies can collect penalty from owners who let their cattle loose. For repeated offence, the cattle can be held and sent to the nearest pound.
However, activists say, the civic body is ill-equipped, with less manpower to impound a large number of cattle. ‘’The civic body does not have vehicles to carry cattle. They only have compactor lorries that carry waste,’’ said David Manohar, adding that all complaints evoked no response from authorities.