MYSORE: The civic authorities launched an operation to catch pigs in Mysore city early on Wednesday.

A team of about 30 expert pig-catchers went around J.P. Nagar and surrounding areas in the vicinity of NIE College on Manandavadi Road here and ensnared a total of 55 pigs.

"We will resume the drive on Thursday and continue till the entire city is free of pigs, which are proving to be a menace," Commissioner of Mysore City Corporation (MCC) Chandrashekar told The Hindu .

The expert pig-catchers, hailing from Madurai, used lassos to catch individual pigs and nets to ensnare them in herds. After trapping them, the pig-catchers, attired in modest lungis and shirts, would catch hold of them by their hind legs, hurl them across their shoulders and walk to the waiting van of MCC where they would dump them. The pig-catching exercise, which was carried under the supervision of MCC officials and security provided by the local police, began at around 7 a.m. and concluded by 11 a.m.

t several places, pig-catchers, most of them barefoot, were found running behind the pigs with lassos and even shouting at them to lead them towards a spread-out net.

Though there was a little resistance from those who rear pigs, the authorities brushed it aside. MCC's Health Officer Nagaraj, who was supervising the operation, asked the protesters to contact the authorities at the MCC office later with their complaints.

Dr. Chandrashekar said an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 pigs were roaming in the City. "We will continue the drive till we catch all of them," he said.

But, the corporation authorities have still not decided how and where to dispose the pigs after catching them. "We have to think about how we are going to dispose of them," he said.

But, Dr. Chandrashekar ruled out releasing the pigs in the forests. "We can't release them in reserve forests," he said.

When asked whether the authorities would construct a sty away from the City to house the pigs, Dr. Chandrashekar wondered who would take care of the pigs at such a sty. "We will soon decide what to do with them," he said.

`Disease-carriers'

Meanwhile, Vivek Cariappa, an organic farmer in Sargur, which is close to forest areas, cautioned the MCC authorities against releasing the pigs into the forest areas. "The pigs carry a variety of diseases and any move to release them in the forests is a threat to the wild animals. If a leopard eats a pig, it will get afflicted by the disease," he said.

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