The Indian Express             27.08.2013

MC teams catch 138 head of cattle; villagers protest

Overcrowded: The cow pond in Industrial Area, phase-I, Chandigarh, on Monday. Jaipal Singh

The cattle catching drive of the Municipal Corporation continued on Monday with 138 head of stray cattle being caught. With the number of stray cattle caught exceeding the space available with the MC, additional five acres would now be utilised for the purpose. The cattle would be sent out of the city.

However, protests were witnessed at the MC office with villagers alleging that the cattle caught were not stray, but picked from their residences.

The drive by the MC was held at Dadumajra, Ramdarbar, Hallomajra, Kajheri, Airport Chowk and Colony Number 5. One stray animal reportedly died as attempts were being made to catch it.

Near Dadumajra, as the cattle catchers surrounded the cattle, the cows entered the colony causing problems in catching them. Around 140 people from MC including staff of Medical Officer of Health, enforcement

wing and the road wing along with 80 policemen carried out the drive.

Shelter for cattle

With the space available with the Municipal Corporation to keep the cattle being limited, five acres of land at Industrial Area where a tile factory existed would be utilised for the purpose. The cattle shed in Sector 45 has a capacity to house 350 animals while another in Maloya has the capacity for 400 animals. The cattle pound at the Industrial Area can hold 150 stray cattle at a time.

With around 400 cattle caught since Friday, additional space was required to keep these. The civic body proposes to send the cattle to Barsana in UP after Janmashtami. Already stray cattle have been shifted to cattle sheds in Delhi. Cattle would be sent to Barsana in trucks with each loaded with six animals. Doctors and other staff would also accompany the trucks.

Protests held

Villagers held a protest at the MC office, claiming that the staff took away cattle that were tied at their residences instead of that roaming on the roads. Mayor Subhash Chawla assured that he would ask the officials to look into the allegations.

The protesters were led by Congress leaders. In fact, in an earlier protest held at the MC office, it was the Congress leaders who were leading the protesters. With the Mayor being from the Congress, he is not getting support of his party for the campaign. As arguments ensued in his office over the issue, the Mayor stated that he would call a party meeting so that the stand of the party could be cleared.

The General House of the MC in a resolution mooted in a meeting in 2011 had stated that cattle would not be allowed to remain in the municipal limits. This would imply that the owners would have to shift the stray cattle out. It was demanded that time be given to the owners for this. Some villagers claimed that they had permission from the administration for construction of a cattle shed.

Due to several protests held at MC officer, police personnel were present in the Mayor's room for the better part of the day.