ERODE: Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy said on Monday that steps would be taken to compensate farmers who lost goats due to stray dog attacks. Speaking to reporters, the minister said, “Stray dogs are killing livestock in Erode and Tiruppur districts. The two district collectors are discussing steps to be taken in this regard. This will be taken to the attention of the chief minister and appropriate action regarding paying compensation to affected farmers.”
Earlier in the day, farmers staged a protest on the Uthukuli-Chennimalai road after 10 goats were killed by stray dogs in Chennimalai. They gave up the protest after talks with Chennimalai police and met with Minister Muthusamy in Perundurai. In the meeting, the minister assured them that action would be taken.
P Velusamy, president of the PAP Vellakoil branch canal water conservation movement, who took part in the protest, said, “The minister has assured to take swift action to get due compensation to affected farmers. We were satisfied after talking to him.”
Cadres of the Erode district unit of the BJP submitted a petition to the collector demanding steps to prevent the killing of goats by stray dogs and to provide compensation to affected farmers.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, in his social media post, said, “Farmers are facing economic losses due to stray dogs killing goats in Tiruppur and Erode districts. They are worried that despite bringing this to the DMK government’s attention, no action has been taken to provide compensation and control stray dogs.
Not only livestock, but also children and in some places adults are attacked by stray dogs across the state. I urge the DMK government to immediately provide compensation to farmers who have lost their goats due to stray dog attacks and take steps to control stray dogs.”
GK Nagaraj, president of TN BJP’s agriculture wing, in his statement, said, “Stray dogs have killed more than 600 goats in Tiruppur and Erode districts in the last year. The state government continues to cheat farmers who are fighting for compensation. If compensation is not given, BJP will stage protests.”