Stray cattle continue to pose threat to motorists

NAGPUR: Potholes could be one of the main reasons for the rise in road accidents in the city. But another reason that contributes to the accidents is the movement of stray cattle on roads. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) claimed to have impounded 7,143 stray cattle in last five years and filed police complaint against 499 owners. Yet, bovines straying on many roads continue to pose a great threat to motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders.

Recently, a sanitary worker of NMC was killed after he was attacked by stray cattle. Many motorists have lost their lives due to stray cattle menace. Despite the recent incident, the NMC has failed to control stray cattle and as a result, it quite often proves to be a Herculean task for the motorists.

NMC’s veterinary officer Dr Gajendra Mahalle admitted to the stray cattle menace in many localities. The civic body runs four cattle impounding centres with a combined capacity to impound only 70 cattle at a time. It has only two vehicles with a staff of 15 workers.

With the current infrastructure, the NMC staffers face severe hardships in keeping city roads free of stray cattle.

Currently, the NMC imposes a fine of Rs1,100 and Rs1,300 per cow and buffalo on the owners. “From 2013-14 till March end this year, the NMC impounded 7,143 stray cattle and recovered a fine of Rs39,79,678,” said Dr Mahalle.

However, motorists slammed NMC’s lackadaisical attitude to curb the stray cattle menace. TOI visited various parts of the city and found stray cattle on roads including Central Avenue where Metro Rail work is under progress. The animals occupy most part of the road and block traffic.

Sometimes, the animals suddenly come in front of vehicles leading to accidents, was the general reaction of the motorists. “NMC has failed to curb this menace,” said Mahesh Rodke, a fruit vendor at Gokulpeth market. According to vendors and shopkeepers, stray cattle menace in the city has increased manifold.

The stray cattle menace is more in West and Central Nagpur and it can be gauged with the fact that traffic police from these two zones have lodged 106 and 177 complaints against stray cattle owners in the last financial year (between April 2017 and March 2018).

“In 2017, the NMC and city traffic police for the first time had come together and around 499 cattle owners in the city had been booked under Sections 90 (A) and 118 of Bombay Police Act for letting their bovines loose on roads,” he said.

Though the act also empowered the police to prosecute the owner who can be imprisoned for a month, 41 cattle owners have been booked twice for letting the cattle on roads.

Actually, leaving cattle on streets and rearing in public place is a violation of Section 233 of Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act. Animal activists too pointed out that stray animal owners can also be prosecuted under the provisions of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Police Act and Sections 289, 428, 429 of IPC.

In 2013, the then municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane had proposed cattle owners to shift their sheds outside city limits. In order to appease a large number of vote bank, politicians have allowed cattle rearing in city limits.

Years—Impounded----Fines Collected

2013-14---2101---951744

2014-15---1352---614738

2015-16---1171---561200

2016-17---1685---993528

2017-18---834---858468

Owners of cattle booked by traffic cops

Traffic zones—-Cases

MIDC—-54

Sitabuldi—-177

Cotton Market—-106

Ajni—-74

Indora—-88