The Hindu : Corpn. to auction off impounded cattle

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Corpn. to auction off impounded cattle

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI JULY 13. The Chennai Corporation has decided to auction off the cattle it impounds on city roads from Monday. The first such auction has been scheduled for July 16.

The civic body's drive to remove all cattle from the city limits before August 1 has evoked divergent responses — cattle owners raising their voice of dissent and resident welfare associations egging on the agency to complete the task pending for long.

Rearing of cattle in residential localities such as Choolai, Triplicane, Mylapore and Nungambakkam has been an irritant for many for several years now despite the passing of the Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds in Urban Areas (Control and Regulation) Act in 1997, restricting the rearing of cattle to 11 of the 155 divisions.

Invariably, the cattle owners after milking the cows in the mornings let the animals loiter on the roads, posing a grave traffic risk.

Road-users crossing the Mint Junction explain the need to be "extra cautious" while travelling in the locality because of a large number of stray cattle present there.

Also, the dumping of the cattle waste into the already overburdened stormwater and sewer lines network leads to overflow of sewage.

Residents of New Street in Nungambakkam have been suffering for nearly two decades now with a cattle owner in the region who has been letting loose more than 10 cows he owns.

Residents of Avathanna Pappiah Road in Choolai recalled the ordeal during the last year's rains when the stormwater drains in the locality were choked due to the cow dung dumped in it.

Other areas where the stormwater and sewer lines get regularly choked because of the cattle waste include Vathyar Kandapillai Street, Nellujalladai Street, Aathi Mudali Street and Roti Thiruvengadam Street in Choolai and several parts of Triplicane.

The stray cattle menace had also affected the garbage clearance, especially in Zone VI, where the private agency, CES Onyx, is operating.

On several occasions, the company's representatives have pointed out that stray cattle had toppled their garbage collection bins while searching for food.

"Improper rearing practices and commercial exploitation of cows and buffaloes are common in the city. The eviction of cattle from the city is a welcome move.

However, the Government should also try and provide some alternative arrangement for those who are dependent on the animals for their livelihood," said Chinni Krishna of Blue Cross.

The Corporation has warned tough action against cattle owners who did not move their herds out of `prohibited' zones before July 31, threatening to invoke a clause of Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds in Urban Areas (Control and Regulation) Act, 1997, that made the offence punishable with a sentence of up to three years imprisonment and a levy of fine to the tune of Rs. 5,000.

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