With Ludhiana MC facing shortage of space, stray cattle menace is here to stay
The MC officials are claiming that a cow shed will be ready within two weeks at Burj Powat village, 53 km from the city, and that the process of shifting stray cattle will commence soon after that. But the shed can only accommodate around 150 animals, while hundreds of cattle roam around on city roads, posing a grave danger to the lives of commuters.
With the municipal corporation (MC) facing a shortage of space to shelter the stray cattle of the city, a solution for this menace seems to be a distant dream.
The MC officials are claiming that a cow shed will be ready within two weeks at Burj Powat village, 53 km from the city, and that the process of shifting stray cattle will commence soon after that. But the shed can only accommodate around 150 animals, while hundreds of cattle roam around on city roads, posing a grave danger to the lives of commuters.
One of the MC officials requesting anonymity said, “More sheds can be established at Burj Powat, but establishing a shed in a village is not a solution. The MC will also face trouble transporting the cattle as it takes around an hour to reach the village that is situated in Machhiwara area. The residents might get relief after the MC establishes a gaushala in Noorpur Bet area.”
The MC had approved the building of a gaushala on 2 acre land in Noorpur Bet area, but the project has not yet started at the ground level. Only the contract has been allotted to the management of Govind Godham at Hambran road for lifting of the stray cattle.
The MC officials said that now, even the Godham management is also not lifting the cattle on a daily basis due to space shortage. The Godham has already sheltered around 1,300 cattle and the MC pays around ₹13 lakh to the management for their upkeep on a monthly basis. The MC has tried to sign a pact with few other gaushala managements in the city, but to no avail.
The MC had also proposed registration of dairy animals to catch offenders who leave dry cows on the roads. But that project never saw the light of day either.
A resident of Tajpur road area, Ashok Verma, said, “Large number of stray cattle roam on the roads in our area and accidents take place due to the same. Apart from finding a shelter for the cattle, the MC should also come up with an idea to punish dairy owners who abandon the animals.”
Mayor Balkar Sandhu said, “The MC is working to establish a gaushala in Noorpur Bet area as the civic body is facing trouble finding space. The shed at Burj Powat will also be ready within two weeks. The management of Govind Godham lifts the cattle at the time of emergency and efforts are being made to keep a check on dairy owners.”