Nagpur: Over a 100 strays in the city were fitted with radium belts on Sunday morning under a unique initiative to avoid road accidents. The civic body also plans to implement the technique on the stray cattle that it captures.
A group of around ten youngsters, who are members of Save Speechless Organisation (SSO), has launched the first- of- its- kind radium belt drive, which they plan to continue for coming six-to-seven months. Going door-to-door, the members are approaching cattle owners to join hands in the drive.
"On the first day of the drive, many owners of Hazaripahad, Jaitala, Katol naka and other areas took part in the drive and allowed us to tie bands to all their animals," members said.
Apart from this, the volunteers are also targeting stray cattle present on streets. "The task is difficult to perform without the cooperation of owners as the animals get ferocious when we approach them. By Sunday evening, we fitted belts on 150 cows and 38 street dogs," said Smita Mire, founder of SSO.
NMC officials, who inaugurated the drive, said that the technique can help curbing road hits. "We are planning to launch similar technique in our cattle catching squads. The radium on the belt will glow in the night and alert the driver about presence of animals on the road," said NMC veterinary officer Dr Gajendra Mahalle.
Next Sunday, the drive will be organized at Telangkhedi and Amravati Road, which has high cattle population.
Last year, 25-year-old Sagar Telang had lost his life after his bike collided with a stray bull on Telangkhedi Road.
To get rid of stray menace in the city, NMC had planned to acquire a private land to set up a cattle shed and a dairy farm. Sources said that the plan is being revised by an architect and the budget for it is expected to increase.
In 2003, under the Maharashtra Keeping and Movement of Cattle in Urban Areas Act, 1976, the state government had declared Nagpur city as a prohibited area for keeping cattle.
A group of around ten youngsters, who are members of Save Speechless Organisation (SSO), has launched the first- of- its- kind radium belt drive, which they plan to continue for coming six-to-seven months. Going door-to-door, the members are approaching cattle owners to join hands in the drive.
"On the first day of the drive, many owners of Hazaripahad, Jaitala, Katol naka and other areas took part in the drive and allowed us to tie bands to all their animals," members said.
Apart from this, the volunteers are also targeting stray cattle present on streets. "The task is difficult to perform without the cooperation of owners as the animals get ferocious when we approach them. By Sunday evening, we fitted belts on 150 cows and 38 street dogs," said Smita Mire, founder of SSO.
NMC officials, who inaugurated the drive, said that the technique can help curbing road hits. "We are planning to launch similar technique in our cattle catching squads. The radium on the belt will glow in the night and alert the driver about presence of animals on the road," said NMC veterinary officer Dr Gajendra Mahalle.
Next Sunday, the drive will be organized at Telangkhedi and Amravati Road, which has high cattle population.
Last year, 25-year-old Sagar Telang had lost his life after his bike collided with a stray bull on Telangkhedi Road.
To get rid of stray menace in the city, NMC had planned to acquire a private land to set up a cattle shed and a dairy farm. Sources said that the plan is being revised by an architect and the budget for it is expected to increase.
In 2003, under the Maharashtra Keeping and Movement of Cattle in Urban Areas Act, 1976, the state government had declared Nagpur city as a prohibited area for keeping cattle.
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