Residents live in danger while cattle roam freely on streets

Tirupati: The stray cattle loitering in the pilgrim city proving a hindrance to traffic and public movement more so in busy junctions and on crowded streets. Often they indulge in frolic scaring people more so women and children while there are many instances of public get injured during the cattle fighting and chasing each other whenever they turn playful or in frenzy mood. A group of cattle lazily resting or moving around in search of food unmindful of busy traffic is ubiquitous everywhere–be it busy junctions or roads in the city.

Highlights:

• Tirupati Municipal Corporation officials yet to initiate permanent measures despite receiving complaints from motorists and general public
• Civic authorities is mulling stringent action against the owners, who let their cattle on to the streets

Though the Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) has been receiving complaints from motorists and general public about the menace of the cattle on the streets, it is for one reason or other the corporation is still to initiate permanent measures to see the roads or streets are free of cattle. Even if the authorities impound the cattle and penalise its owner, they will be back with flying colours on the streets within few days thanks to the clout the cattle owners enjoying with the powerful local leaders forcing the authorities to let off them with impunity.

Further, the limitation, risk and difficulty involved in capturing the cattle on the roads deterring the concern authorities taking effective steps to see the city free of cattle menace. Corporation sources said that ‘catch the cattle operation’ can be taken only in late nights as during day time the movement of vehicles and people will be more and also there is every chance of the animals trying to flee causing harm to general public.

Further, the animals have keen sense capable of getting scent of the approaching tractor with animal catchers just by hearing the noise of the vehicle nearing them. “They act swiftly and disappear within a minute even before the catchers get down from the tractor. Much skill and patience requires in nabbing them,” he said explaining the difficulty involved in catching the cattle.

A 50-year old house maker Lakshmi and a resident of Khadi Colony said she is reluctant of going to Anna Rao Circle for any need like shopping because of the cattle loitering in the area and it reveal how much people are scared of the cattle in the city.

TMC veterinary officer C Subba Rao said there are about 275 cattle loitering in the city. They are not stray cattle as they have owners, who deliberately let off them to avoid or minimise the cost of their maintenance. In addition, there are more than a dozen stray bulls which are settled on the streets but they are not causing much inconvenience compared to the other cattle to the public.

The milch animals which will be let off in the morning after milking by the owners allowed returning home again for milking after sun set while the rest of the unproductive animals including pregnant cows, dry cattle, bull calf and grown up calves stay put day and night on the streets and roads only ignoring our warnings.

Rao said efforts are on to have a permanent mechanism to get rid of the cattle menace in the city. The new corporation commissioner Hari Kiran also in his first meeting mentioned the menace and was apprised about the requirements to tackle the cattle issue. This includes a vehicle with lift facility, to uplift animal after it was caught to transport to the shelter where it will be impounded and appointing more labourers.

Further, the corporation is also mulling stringent punishment on the owners to deter them from letting of their cattle on the streets and see that they make arrangements in their homes for shelter and care of the cattle.

By G Sridhar