Authorities of the Koppal City Municipal Council are in a fix. The councillors pressure them to make the city free from pigs. When the authorities launch an operation to catch these animals, the elected representatives intervene and prevent them from going ahead.
Such an incident occurred in Koppal city on Friday.
Following pressure from the councillors, Commissioner Ramesh Patted pressed a team from Tamil Nadu to catch pigs. Even as a few pigs were caught and loaded in a lorry, a group of pig-rearers came to the spot and obstructed the operation. Both the municipal commissioner and the rearers stuck to their stand, which led to a heated argument.
ADVERTISEMENT
The municipal commissioner said that the operation was a sequel to the failure of the rearers to respond to the notices to shift the animals out of the city. The rearers maintained that they would not allow to transport pigs out of the city.
Meanwhile, the commissioner received a phone call from Koppal MLA Raghavendra Hitnal directing the former to release the pigs after taking an undertaking from the rearers.
With no other alternative, the commissioner summoned them to his office, took an undertaking to the effect that they would not allow the pigs to roam about in the city and released the ones which were caught. The corporation had to bear the entire cost of operation even when the purpose was not served.
ADVERTISEMENT