Stray cattle rule highways, motorists left helpless
Shruti Suresh & Ram Sundaram | TNN
27.05.2019
Stray animal menace continues to haunt motorists in Chennai, particularly during the nights. While dogs or cats get in the way of vehicles within city limits, cattle have become a potential threat for those using highway stretches in the suburbs. This being the reality, official data says less than 10 accidents are caused by stray animals every year. Experts attribute this low figure to gross under-reporting or misreporting of such cases.
“In 99% of such cases, police invoke sections 337, 338 of the Indian Penal Code and section 304(A) when there is a fatality,” said V S Suresh, an advocate. These sections pertain to rash and negligent driving. But the apt section for accidents due to stray menace is 289 of the IPC, under which the cattle owner can be pulled up for negligent conduct and be liable to pay a fine of₹1,000 or face imprisonment for six months, he said. “It is unfair to blame the policemen as tracking cattle owners is difficult,” Suresh added.
When questioned about the cases, police pointed fingers at the civic body, holding them responsible for not controlling the stray cattle menace.
Though the corporation hiked penalty for owners allowing cattle to stray from ₹1,000 to ₹10,750, there has not been a decline in complaints about cattle menace. As per corporation data, while 543 complaints were registered in 2017, the number more than doubled in 2018, with 1,270 recorded.
When asked, corporation officials said vehicles to impound stray cattle were being deployed every day. “We face stiff resistance from owners due to increased penalty, but stray cattle are being impounded,” said an official. “Every month, more than 100 cattle are impounded,” added an official.
Residents in most areas, however, feel that with overflowing dustbins, the menace is only increasing. “The cattle roam day and night in search of food and litter the roads. Manapakkam Main Road is unsafe for motorists as cattle appear out of nowhere at nights,” said V Nagarajan. T Nagar, Kotturpuram, and Koyambedu residents also said the menace was rampant.
Animal activists said the corporation needs to have a better strategy to tackle cattle issue instead of taking action once in a while. “Only if there are frequent crackdowns, and the penalty is strictly imposed, there won’t be a problem in containing the problem,” said Arun Prasanna, of People for Cattle in India.
HOLDING UP TRAFFIC: Owners face little or no action for letting their cattle run loose
Shruti Suresh & Ram Sundaram | TNN
27.05.2019
Stray animal menace continues to haunt motorists in Chennai, particularly during the nights. While dogs or cats get in the way of vehicles within city limits, cattle have become a potential threat for those using highway stretches in the suburbs. This being the reality, official data says less than 10 accidents are caused by stray animals every year. Experts attribute this low figure to gross under-reporting or misreporting of such cases.
“In 99% of such cases, police invoke sections 337, 338 of the Indian Penal Code and section 304(A) when there is a fatality,” said V S Suresh, an advocate. These sections pertain to rash and negligent driving. But the apt section for accidents due to stray menace is 289 of the IPC, under which the cattle owner can be pulled up for negligent conduct and be liable to pay a fine of₹1,000 or face imprisonment for six months, he said. “It is unfair to blame the policemen as tracking cattle owners is difficult,” Suresh added.
When questioned about the cases, police pointed fingers at the civic body, holding them responsible for not controlling the stray cattle menace.
Though the corporation hiked penalty for owners allowing cattle to stray from ₹1,000 to ₹10,750, there has not been a decline in complaints about cattle menace. As per corporation data, while 543 complaints were registered in 2017, the number more than doubled in 2018, with 1,270 recorded.
When asked, corporation officials said vehicles to impound stray cattle were being deployed every day. “We face stiff resistance from owners due to increased penalty, but stray cattle are being impounded,” said an official. “Every month, more than 100 cattle are impounded,” added an official.
Residents in most areas, however, feel that with overflowing dustbins, the menace is only increasing. “The cattle roam day and night in search of food and litter the roads. Manapakkam Main Road is unsafe for motorists as cattle appear out of nowhere at nights,” said V Nagarajan. T Nagar, Kotturpuram, and Koyambedu residents also said the menace was rampant.
Animal activists said the corporation needs to have a better strategy to tackle cattle issue instead of taking action once in a while. “Only if there are frequent crackdowns, and the penalty is strictly imposed, there won’t be a problem in containing the problem,” said Arun Prasanna, of People for Cattle in India.
HOLDING UP TRAFFIC: Owners face little or no action for letting their cattle run loose
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