Tiruchi Corporation to appoint new agencies to tackle stray cattle menace

Workers impounding stray cattle on Ponmalai Service Road in Tiruchi. 
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Tiruchi Corporation has planned to rope in two new agencies to impound stray cattle wandering on city roads round-the-clock in all five zones.

As the financial year draws to a close, the civic body has proposed to appoint two agencies to impound stray cattle. One agency will operate in Zones II, III, and IV, and another in Zones I and V, conducting both day and night operations in their allotted zones. The civic body will soon issue a call for Expression of Interest to undertake the drive.

“Each team will comprise eight to 10 members with prior experience in animal handling. Ensuring their safety, we will verify that all members are physically fit and administered with preventive vaccination for animal bites,” said M. Vijay Chandran, City Health Officer.

At present, there are three agencies to impound stray cattle from roads and shift them to the safe shelters at Konakkarai and EB Road. Two agencies carry out the drive during the day and a third agency undertakes special enforcement in all five zones at night (between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.).

Each agency has been allocated a special vehicle fitted with a hydraulic lift and foldable ramp for impounding and safely shifting stray cattle to the shelter. On average, nearly 12 animals are being rounded up every day.

According to a source, 34 heads of stray cattle causing a hindrance to vehicular movement on the road were impounded this month, and a fine of ₹85,000 collected from their owners. At present, nine animals are sheltered at Konakkarai, and six are at EB Road.

The drive is being carried out across the city, including residential colonies, with a special focus on major roads and market areas to avert traffic bottlenecks. A total of 701 animals had been impounded and ₹19.88 lakh was collected by penalising the owners. As many as 51 unclaimed cattle have been auctioned for ₹3.45 lakh so far since its launch in November 2022.

Penalty reduced

Following requests from councillors, the civic body reduced penalties imposed on owners of stray cattle to ₹2,500 per head.

Earlier, the owners were fined ₹5,000 for cows and horses and ₹2,500 for calf. Officials said that they have planned to auction the cattle within two weeks of impounding.