The municipal corporation (MC) of Patiala has written to the district administration and the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to clear the pending payments of cow cess.
The cess is charged by the state government on sale of power, vehicles and liquor under the MC’s jurisdiction.
However, time and again questions have been raised over delay of departments concerned in providing these funds.
Senior deputy mayor Yoginder Singh Yogi, who is leading the stray cattle drive in Patiala, said that even as more than 450 stray cattle were rescued from roads and shifted to different cowsheds, there is still a lack of resources for upkeep of these animals at the cowsheds.
“On behalf of the municipal corporation, I have sent a communiqué to deputy commissioner Kumar Amit and the PSPCL management to clear pending payments of cow cess pegged at ₹3 crore. The finances are required to continue the stray cattle-catching drive,” he said.
He added that due to shortage of funds, three private gaushalas in Patiala and a government cowshed at Gazipur village in Samana subdivision are facing multiple issues, mainly dearth of fodder.
“MC is not paid any cow cess since 2016 from departments concerned including the excise and taxation, transport departments and the PSPCL. The administration has been asked to take assistance from the Red Cross Society, NGOs and big commercial firms for providing logistics,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“MC is not paid any cow cess since 2016 from departments concerned including the excise and taxation, transport departments and the PSPCL. The administration has been asked to take assistance from the Red Cross Society, NGOs and big commercial firms for providing logistics,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The MC is paying ₹30 as feeding charges per animal per day at the public cowsheds, and ₹50 for private gaushalas.
As many as six deaths have been reported in the district due to stray cattle between July and August this year. The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that stray cattle can be seen roaming freely on national and state highways across district, in highly populated interiors of Patiala (urban) and other link roads.
MC already facing the heat
As many as five deaths caused due to stray cattle between July and August this year have resulted in MC facing much heat. Stray cattle can be seen roaming freely on national and state highways across district and highly populated interiors parts of Patiala (urban) and other link roads.
Officials of the Patiala MC and the district administration are already on the line of fire of families of two victims who had died in road accidents caused by stray animals.
The family of 40-year-old Amrik Singh, who had died after he was attacked by a stray bull on July 17, had approached the permanent lok adalat (public utility services), to seek compensation worth ₹60 lakh for their loss.
In another case, the family of 34-year-old Mandeep Singh, who had died in a road accident caused due to stray cattle is seeking a compensation of ₹2 crore.