MCG launches drive to make Gurugram stray cattle-free

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has launched a campaign to make Gurugram stray-cattle-free by constituting four teams to catch stray cattle and send them to ‘gaushalas’ or cow shelters, an official said on Friday

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has launched a campaign to make Gurugram stray-cattle-free by constituting four teams to catch stray cattle and send them to ‘gaushalas’ or cow shelters, an official said on Friday.

The teams will comprise MCG officials and police personnel. At present, MCG has four designated cow shelters for stray cattle. (HT)

The teams will comprise MCG officials and police personnel. At present, MCG has four designated cow shelters for stray cattle.

MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said that legal action will be taken against anyone obstructing the campaign. “The cattle roaming freely on roads pose a serious challenge to public safety and traffic management. The campaign will continue until Gurugram is made a stray cattle-free city,” he added.

HT on August 14 reported that over 7,000 stray cattle roam the city’s streets, with residents raising concerns about the stray cattle menace, traffic disruption, and risks to commuters.

Rima Sakhluja, a Sector 14 resident, said she had a close call while travelling on a two-wheeler when a stray cow suddenly crossed the road. “I was about to crash. It was a very close call,” she said.

“It has become a common practice to let cattle loose on the roads after morning milking, resulting in traffic disruptions, safety hazards, and inconvenience to residents,” said Savita Devi, a resident of Sector 46.

Meanwhile, MCG officials said that the agency currently engaged in stray cattle management has failed to comply with its contractual obligations and was penalised for non-compliance.

MCG officials also raised concerns over resistance to the stray cattle drive, alleging that teams arriving to capture the cattle are at times attacked or threatened. They said many of the cattle found roaming on the roads are not actually stray, but belong to dairy owners who allegedly let them loose after milking.

On August 12, HT reported that a 38-year-old man died after his scooter allegedly rammed into cattle in the middle of a road in Faridabad’s NIT-2.

In Faridabad, at least 10,000 stray cattle are roaming on the streets. Dr Nitesh Parwal, nodal officer for stray cattle at the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF), said the work will be initiated for stray cattle management after the sanitation workers’ and municipality workers strike is over.