MALAPPURAM: For nearly three decades, Shoshamma quietly served Vattamkulam grama panchayat in a role that has all but disappeared from Kerala’s civic administration. On Friday, the state’s last remaining ‘pound keeper’ will retire, bringing down the curtain on a once-familiar local body service.
Appointed in 1996, Shoshamma was entrusted with caring for stray cattle impounded by the panchayat after they were found roaming public roads. The animals were housed in the panchayat pound until their owners paid the prescribed fine and reclaimed them. If left unclaimed, they were auctioned. As the government later abolished the post and stopped fresh appointments, Shoshamma became the last person in Kerala to hold the position.
A native of Ancheri in Kuttanelloor, Thrissur, Shoshamma joined the department through a formal recruitment process in 1996. Vattamkulam was her first posting, and it remained her workplace throughout her career. “I had to attend an interview to get the job. In those days, dairy farmers were not very careful about their cattle. They often let the animals wander onto the roads, and the panchayat authorities would bring them to the pound. Most owners would arrive within a few hours, pay the fine and take their cattle back. It was very rare for me to look after the animals for long,” she recalled.
“As years passed, farmers became more responsible and stray cattle became a rare sight. Gradually, my duties shifted to office work. The old cattle shed near the veterinary hospital in Vattamkulam was demolished about six years ago,” she said.
All those who joined the service before Shoshamma have already retired. With the post officially abolished, she continued to assist with other responsibilities in the panchayat until the end of her service. The panchayat administration and staff have planned a heartfelt farewell for her on Friday.
