Citizen Connect: Stray cattle continues to haunt public in Triplicane

CHENNAI: The menace of stray cattle continues to be a nightmare for the residents of Triplicane as several cattle attacks have been reported in the locality.

People staying at BV Naicken Street have and are complaining that cattle roaming on the road always threaten pedestrians and motorists passing on the street.

In addition, vendors throwing banana leaves and perishable commodities play a major role in attracting the cattle and along with that the hardship.

“This has been a perennial issue in the area and there are no concrete steps taken by authorities concerned to tackle this menace. The streets surrounding the Parthasarathy temple are encroached upon by hawkers, who throw waste vegetables and fruits to attract these stray cattle, which keep roaming and causing threats to the public. Not only this temple, same conditions prevail near Mylapore Kapaleeshwarar temple too. The street vendors are the main root cause for this menace,” said R Ramesh, a civic activist.

Impounding and putting hefty fines have not resolved this menace. It is always a conflict and a threat to human life. The lethargic attitude and irresponsibility of Greater Chennai Corporation officials are the only reasons behind the cattle attack incidents reported in the city.

“The cattle owners encroach on the roads and do dairy business in the residential areas with the support of local politicians. The cattle-catching drive is an eye wash by the civic authorities. Whenever the cattle owners see the Corporation vehicle they ensure the cows are tied in their shelter, if not it would be roaming and causing inconvenience to the public,” said M Balaji, another resident of Triplicane.

When contacted a senior official of the GCC stated that they have intensified the cattle-catching drive across the city, especially in the hotspots including Triplicane, Mylapore, and Royapuram.

“If any complaint was raised to the local body steps would be taken immediately to impound the cattle and impose a fine against the owners. In addition, we have given instructions to the cattle owners not to violate protocols,” added the official.