OMR has turned into cattle shed, claim irate residents
Harsha Koda, co-founder of Federation of OMR Resident Associations, said that cattle menace has increased during the recent months.
Stray cattle
CHENNAI: Areas along the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) are turning into cattle shed as several stray cows are roaming freely on the roads putting pedestrians and motorists in danger.
Harsha Koda, co-founder of Federation of OMR Resident Associations, said that cattle menace has increased during the recent months.
“I have raised four complaints with the concerned local bodies regarding the cow menace. Two complaints were regarding cattle menace in Siruseri and Thiruporur in Chengalpattu district while other two complaints were about areas under Chennai Corporation,” he said.
He pointed out that the response from the officials is lackadaisical. “I have specifically mentioned that stray cattle roam mostly during dawn and dusk. But, the civic officials visited the spot during the middle of the day. They only caught a couple of cows from the spot,” he said.
The residents also urged the civic bodies to visit the spot during early hours of the day to catch more cows. They also pointed out that the stray cattle pose a threat to motorists as they graze on the roads in numbers.
“Several residents are unaware how to properly register complaints. Due to this, officials are unable to take action. Now, we are posting the issue on social media to garner attention of higher ups,” Harsha Koda said.
In a Twitter post, the federation said that L&T Eden Park Phase-1 in Siruseri looked like a cattle shed and urged the authorities to act.
When asked, a civic official said that the cattle raids are conducted periodically and cattle are being impounded. “Penalty will be imposed against the cattle owners, who let cattle stray,” he assured.