Owners of cattle that frequently stray on the roads in Chennai are likely to be imprisoned as the Greater Chennai Corporation will initiate action under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Following complaints from motorists about accidents caused by stray cattle, the civic body has initiated action against the owners of about 20,000 animals in all the 15 zones of the city. The Corporation has impounded 710 animals that strayed on the road between March 1 and 25. The drive against stray cattle was intensified in the past few weeks.
In the last four weeks, the largest number of animals were impounded in Teynampet, 97, and Kodambakkam, 97. The number of heads of cattle impounded in Tiruvottiyur is 20, Manali 41, Madhavaram 29, Tondiarpet 26, Royapuram 52, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar 58, Ambattur 62, Anna Nagar 68, Valasaravakkam 25, Alandur 22, Adyar 36, Perungudi 31 and Sholinganallur 46.
The civic body has announced that the owners would be penalised under the provisions of the Section 11 of the Act, for “without reasonable cause, abandoning the animal in circumstances which render it likely that it will suffer pain by reason of starvation or thirst; orwilfully permits any animal to go at large in any street while the animal is affected with contagious or infectious disease or, without reasonable excuse permits any diseased or disabled animal to die in any street.”
Police complaint
The Corporation will file a complaint with the police. The owners should get permission from the zonal officials to transport the animals from one place to another.
The animals that have been impounded for the third time will not be returned to the owners and would be handed over to the Blue Cross.
