Cattle on road will not be returned, warns BMC
BMC authorities said if required legal action will also be taken against owners responsible for building illegal cowsheds causing unsanitary conditions.
Published: 15th August 2023 10:55 AM | Last Updated: 15th August 2023 10:55 AM | A+A A-
For representational purposes
BHUBANESWAR: Cattle left unattended on roads will be lifted by the civic staff and not returned to their owners, warned Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Friday.
The civic body’s announcement came after it drew flak from various quarters over inadequate action to address the stray cattle menace in the city which over a period of time has become a major cause of traffic disruption and road accidents. BMC commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange, who chaired a meeting over the issue, said, strict action will be taken as per the policy formulated.
He said no individual will be allowed to leave his/her cattle unattended on roads or public spaces. “The decision has been taken to address rising incidents of accidents, traffic congestion and transportation disruptions that mar the city’s image,” he said. BMC officials said as per a recent survey, nearly 800 stray cattle owners fall under BMC jurisdiction. However, the owners deserting their animals or letting them roam freely on the streets of the capital has led to a rise in accidents.
BMC authorities said if required legal action will also be taken against owners responsible for building illegal cowsheds causing unsanitary conditions. “Owners without proper cowsheds on their own land will be held accountable,” they said. With the cowshed at Jamukoli on the city’s outskirts remaining fully occupied most of the time, the officials said the civic body will work in collaboration with various goshalas (cowsheds) to provide a safe and humane haven for the animals. To facilitate this, talks have been initiated with representatives of Goshala organisations from Jatni, Begunia, Brahmagiri, and other locations.
The civic body in collaboration with the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) department had launched a cattle tagging drive to deal with the stray cattle menace ahead of the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018. In the event of releasing cattle at random places, the drive civic body had made a provision that the owner will have to pay Rs 1,000 as a fine following which the animal shall be released. In the case of untagged cattle, the provision had mandated that the owner would be imposed a fine of Rs 1,500. However, in the absence of strong enforcement, the move failed to yield the desired results.
