The Times of India 01.12.2010
Stray animals reign over city, courtesy AMC
ALLAHABAD: One of the responsibilities of the Allahabad Municipal Corporation is to catch stray animals found roaming on city streets, but the reality is that they are not even aware about the number of stray animals existing in the city.
Further, these stray animals have become a nuisance for residents and commuters who pose problems while one is moving on the narrow lanes. While the number of cattle has gone up by several notches, AMC is at loss to find a lasting solution to the traffic hazard. There is also no clear policy of AMC to get rid of stray animals.
The staff of the animal husbandry department AMC which has been entrusted with the responsibility of keeping track of these animals is just busy in extracting money from the gullible cattle owners and are unaware about the number of cows, buffaloes, dogs and other animals that are existing within the boundaries of AMC.
Though AMC has not devised any particular method for counting of the cattle and dogs, licenses which are issued to the cattle and dogs is a method of identifying the number of cattle and dogs respectively. However, even Allahabad Municipal Corporation does not have clear record of the number of animals whose license has been issued.
In addition to this, AMC officials do not even have the record of stray cattle which are roaming in various parts of the city and causing traffic problems to the denizens.
According to an estimate, roughly 4000 licenses are being issued to cattle owners in a year. However, the number of cattle is much more and is not limited to only 4000. Further, the number of licenses which are issued to the dogs is about 250. However, the number of dogs which are being kept as pet in the houses are much more and not limited to only 250. There is no means to identify the number of stray dogs which are found in every nook and corner of the city.
According to the AMC sources, license of cattle is issued on a mere charge of Rs.121 which is inclusive of one token and surcharge. The charge of making license of dog is also very less. The charges are about Rs 67 in which a token is issued containing the number and symbol of AMC.
The AMC continues to grapple with the problem of stray cattle on city roads. The cattle have caused a number of accidents in the past few years. The number of accidents increases specially at night when the visibility reduces. The officials of the AMC take refuge in the contention that with no clear policy and inadequate facilities, it is difficult for them to control the menace.
To control the menace, AMC has only two vehicles to nab stray cattle. Even if a herd is creating menace, with three animals a vehicle, the Corporation can control only six of the herd.
As most of the cattle are domesticated milch animals, the majority are later released after their owners pay a fine of Rs 300 per animal. Otherwise, the animal is auctioned, giving them new owners.
Talking to TOI, Dr CP Kushwaha, head of the animal husbandry department of Allahabad Municipal Corporation cite
resource crunch as the main reason for trapping stray animals including cattle and dogs. He says that there is no yardstick to identify the number of cattle and dogs which are found in the city.
