KARAIKAL: Intensifying the crackdown on stray cattle menace following complaints, the Karaikal municipality since Wednesday captured over 60 such animals straying across the town and are sheltering them in private pounds until the owners cough up the fine of Rs 2,000 and take back their bovines. The action comes in the wake of vehicle users complaining of stray cattle disrupting traffic on major roads in the town and causing frequent accidents, some even resulting in deaths.
Acting on the instructions of the district collector, the special drive to control the stray cattle menace commenced in the town under the supervision of Municipal Commissioner Subash on Wednesday.
On the drive, a municipality official said, "Last month, a two-wheeler rider met with an accident when he accidentally rammed a stray cow on the road. Both the man and the cow died.”
Mentioning the situation not having improved even after issuance of multiple notices and warnings to the errant cattle owners, and holding awareness drives, the official said this led to the commencement of the special drive on Wednesday.
Suresh Kumar, who escaped an accident involving stray cattle, said, "We are afraid to travel on the highway (connecting Karaikal and Nagapattinam) with full of cattle and no proper lights."
Explaining further about the drive against stray cattle menace, the official said that municipality workers hire a private mini truck to carry the stray cattle seized from the roads. Later, whenever the owners pay the fine to reclaim their cattle, the money is used to pay the rent for the mini truck.
Further, the errant owners have to pay Rs 280 towards food and shelter expenses incurred every day their animal remains in the pound. Meanwhile, the municipality stated that almost half the cattle impounded in the drive have been reclaimed by their respective owner upon submission of an affidavit promising no more such violations from their side.