SAMBALPUR: While the menace of stray cattle continues to affect residents of Sambalpur City, the development of a cow shelter taken up by the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) to rehabilitate abandoned cattle is progressing at a snail’s pace.
In February 2022, a plan was devised to develop Goshalas at three different locations in the city. The objective was to provide proper care to stray cattle, mostly abandoned by their owners, and to reduce road accidents caused by these animals.
However, due to land hurdles, the project lay dormant for over a year.
According to official sources, the SMC authorities initiated conversations with veterinary officials to resolve the land issues, but no visible progress has been made. SMC commissioner Vedbhushan said, “The land issue was resolved and a tender was floated for the construction of one cow shelter on the outskirts of the city near IIM Campus. A work order was issued. However, the work is progressing slowly.”
Reportedly, instead of multiple cow shelters in the first phase, a larger tract of land has been acquired. Currently, boundary work is underway, and subsequently, sheds and other facilities for cattle will be developed.
Sources also informed that the SMC had previously signed MoUs with three non-governmental organisations already involved in providing care to stray cattle. This was to make them eligible for government assistance to help set up and run the cow shelters. But those got cancelled, sources stated.
The movement of stray cattle has become a common cause of road accidents, especially at night. Many of these cattle sleep on the road, leading to accidents. During the day, herds of cattle sitting in the middle of the roads pose hurdle for commuters.
To address this problem, the SMC launched a drive to put radium collars on stray cattle to increase their visibility and reduce road accidents. In the first phase, radium collars were placed on 500 stray cattle. However, the effort failed to yield the desired results due to lack of monitoring.
Stray cattle also fall prey to frequent accidents, being run over by heavy vehicles, or falling into drains, ponds, potholes, and wells.
Earlier, in 2013-14, to make the roads free from stray cattle, SMC officials removed the animals from the streets and shifted them to the State Livestock Breeding and Agricultural Farm at Chiplima, about 25 km away.
The civic body also imposed hefty fines on the owners who came to take back their cattle. Although some cattle were released after the owners paid the fine, more than 70 cattle remained unclaimed. Around Rs 1 lakh was spent on fodder for these cattle, which ultimately compelled SMC to abandon the idea.
BOVINE BARRIERS
In February 2022, a plan devised to develop Goshalas at 3 locations
Aim was to provide care to cattle abandoned by owners, and to reduce road accidents
Due to land hurdles, the project remained dormant for over a year
Now, hurdle resolved, plan progressing slow
SMC MoUs with 3 NGOs to make them eligible for government assistance, to help set up and run the cow shelters, got cancelled