Late one evening, when R. Niveditha took a quick turn at the turning past Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus, she hit her brakes hard and brought her car to a screeching halt.
In front of her sat four cows in the middle of the road. “If I was going faster, I would have surely hit the cows. Since it was dark, I did not anticipate them being there at all,” she said.
Commuters in several parts of the core and extended city have faced similar issues. Crispin Gavin, who lives in Neelankarai, said negotiating around the animals and weaving through the heavy traffic heading towards East Coast Road was a tough ask.
Despite a ban on rearing of cattle and pigs in the city, the practice continues unabated, especially in areas like Sholinganallur and north Chennai.
According to Corporation officials, regular cattle raids take place in all 15 zones, but awareness is still lacking. “We are working with NGOs to spread awareness against cattle rearing in the city, but it has still not reached desired levels,” said an official.
Numbers indicate a rise in cattle impounded by the Corporation. While the number of cattle impounded in 2013 was 680, the number for September, October and November 2014 alone is 513.
Cattle impounded at the Corporation’s pounds are held for three days, and a fine is imposed for each animal. “We fine Rs. 1,500 for each cow and Rs. 100 per day as feeding charges. We also get a written declaration from the owner stating the animal will not be found on the road again,” the official said.
While the Corporation enlists the help of NGOs for raids on stray cattle, it has a contractor in place for pig raids, which officials said, happens less frequently.
“We have eight vehicles for cattle raids, and are planning to procure seven more in the coming year,” the official said.
