E-Paper
Stray cattle menace: Local court issues notice to Patiala MC, DC and local govt department
A local resident, Akshay Kumar, filed the petition in court seeking damages and compensation after he sustained serious injuries after a stray bull attacked him in Patiala.
The local court has issued a notice to officials of the Patiala municipal corporation, district administration and local bodies department in a case pertaining to a stray cattle attack in the district.
The court of the senior division civil judge has asked the state of Punjab through the deputy commissioner, Patiala municipal commissioner, local bodies department secretary, Sanaur deputy commissioner and executive officer municipal council to appear before the court either in-person or through their representatives on March 17.
A local resident, Akshay Kumar, filed the petition in court seeking damages and compensation after he sustained serious injuries after a stray bull attacked him in Patiala.
Advocate JD Bansal said his client suffered serious injuries because of the state’s negligence and failure to take control of stray animals: “The court has issued notice to the entities privy to the case after the first hearing on Tuesday,” he said.
Last year, the district administration and Patiala municipal corporation faced public ire after it was found that stray cattle were responsible for six deaths in the district between July and August.
Stray cattle can be seen roaming freely on national and state highways and across district and highly populated interiors of Patiala (urban) and other link roads.
The family of 40-year-old Amrik Singh, who died after he was attacked by a stray bull on July 17 last year, 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 by stray cattle is seeking compensation of ₹2 crore.
MC already passed stray cattle bylaws
The Patiala municipal corporation (MC) has already passed bylaws regarding registration and control of stray animals and compensation to be given to families of victims.
In September, 2018, after a series of deaths were caused due to stray cattle, the civic body had drafted bylaws, which had been passed in the general house meeting.
In 2017, too, the local government department had drafted bylaws pertaining to controlling stray animals and compensation to families. The department had directed civic bodies across state to adopt them and pass a resolution in this regard in their respective general houses. However, the plan had been hanging fire since.
As per the draft, compensation in case of death for their legal heirs is ₹1 lakh; while in case of any injury, compensation to the victim and/or their legal heirs is proportionate to the degree of injury caused, as certified by a civil surgeon.
