CHENNAI: The Better Chennai Company has seized 2,250 cattle from April 2021 to March this yr, which is 4 occasions greater than the variety of cattle it had seized up to now three years.
The civic physique seized solely 653 cattle throughout 2018-19, 642 in 2019-20 and 278 in 2020-21. Out of the two,250, the company seized 1,054 cattle within the first three months of this yr alone.
The rise in cattle seizures come after a powerful commentary by the excessive court docket and in addition media experiences highlighting the rising variety of cattle menace within the streets and in addition the accidents related to it.
“All of the repeat offenders will likely be booked below related sections of the Prevention of Cruelty Act. Every zone will likely be conducting drives to grab cattle on daily basis, and that is being reviewed every day. Our focus is to make sure the house owners lastly be taught to maintain the cattle on their premises,” company commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi advised TOI.
In March, the civic physique levied as much as Rs 10 lakh as fantastic from cattle house owners. The company collects Rs 1,550 from the cattle house owners and the sum is added on daily basis if the cattle just isn't claimed. If it stays unclaimed for 3 days, then it's handed over to the blue cross.
Not too long ago, in a gathering, metropolis police commissioner Shankar Jiwal mentioned one sub-inspector and a constable could be supplied to all of the 15 zones every to accompany the company employees. “This may assist us overcome the resistance from the house owners,” Bedi mentioned.
In the meantime, animal welfare activists mentioned catching the cattle and letting it go wouldn't give a everlasting answer. “The house owners have to be made conscious and sensitised in regards to the repercussions of cattle happening the roads. Ranging from the cattle nibbling plastic or different waste, to inflicting site visitors accidents, they need to be sensitised,” mentioned Arun Prasanna, founding father of Individuals for Cattle in India (PFCI).
Whereas enforcement measures are a welcome transfer, Prasanna mentioned training and consciousness alone could be the ultimate answer to finish the menace completely.