PMC to take action against stray cattle during Ganesh festival
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has warned action against owners of wandering cattle ahead of the Ganesh festival to prevent traffic disruptions and public nuisance. Owners will be fined under the law, and stray animals will be seized until the end of the festival. Citizens can report complaints to the PMC. The presence of stray cattle on the roads has led to accidents in the past, including fatalities.
While cattle abandoned by owners and wandering the streets are a common sight in Pune, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), ahead of the Ganesh festival, has warned action under the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949 against owners whose animals are found wandering the streets/hindering traffic/creating a nuisance for the public in any manner. Furthermore, the PMC has urged owners not to let their cattle wander on city roads in the first place.
Cattle are seen roaming on the streets especially in suburban areas, Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Lakdi Pul junction, Senapati Bapat Road among other areas.
On public roads, stray animals sit on the junction and on the road divider. It creates traffic jam. There is a possibility of an accident during Ganesh festival, if the animals run wild in the crowd, there is a possibility of a chaotic situation and leading to a law and order problem. Therefore, we have instructed to owners of the animals that they should ensure that the animals do not enter the road, said officials.
Madhav Jagtap, head of the PMC anti-encroachment department, said, “According to the provisions of the law, the owner of the animal will be fined for cattle trespass under the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949. The department will seize the stray animals and admit to Kondwada during the Ganesh festival. It may be noted that the seized animals will not be released till the end of the Ganesh festival.”
The anti-encroachment department has also appealed to citizens to contact the PMC Kondwada division on 9689931957 to register complaints of stray animals causing a nuisance for motorists and pedestrians.
Dilip Jamdade, a citizen, said, “The religious sentiments of the people are adding to the number of stray cattle on the roads. The unbridled cattle are leading to accidents, which are many a time fatal. There are times when the cattle start running on the road and knock down children or the elderly. Sometimes, cyclists lose control and fall.”
In 2019, a 34-year-old man riding a scooter had fallen off the vehicle and died after hitting a stray cow crossing the Vishrantwadi-Dhanorie Road. In another incident in the Pune cantonment area in 2021, three cattle owners had been arrested on charges of negligence after a buffalo went berserk, hitting two vehicles and injuring a couple on Jaan Mohammad Street, Camp.
