Gurgaon: Pigs make life difficult for Sushant Lok residents

Pigs roaming unchecked in the upscale Sushant Lok 1 locality has become as cause of concern for residents who have complained to the authorities multiple times but without results. Pigs are seen roaming all over the place and scattering garbage dumped on vacant plots.

Pigs roaming unchecked in the upscale Sushant Lok 1 locality has become as cause of concern for residents who have complained to the authorities multiple times but without results. Pigs are seen roaming all over the place and scattering garbage dumped on vacant plots.

Residents estimate that over 1,500 pigs have made the colony their roaming ground. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

In the last one year, there has been a significant rise in the population of pigs. Residents estimate that over 1,500 pigs have made the colony their roaming ground.

Residents alleged that a group of ‘influential people’ who have the connections in the civic agencies are allowed to rear the pigs illegally. “We have often seen a group of people on bikes chasing these pigs and picking them randomly. The pigs are particularly seen in the early morning and after 8 pm. It seems their movement is controlled by the breeders. The residents are suffering but avoid taking on these men as they move in groups,” Sudhir Sachdeva, member, the collegium of Sushant Lok Residents’ Welfare Association, said.

Residents said as repeated complaints to the civic agencies have fallen on deaf ears, they are forced to deal with the situation themselves. “The pigs often jump in front of bikes at night. Recently, I fell down from my bike as pigs suddenly started running across the road,” Suparna Pasricha of Block C said.

The MCG said it had launched a campaign for a pig-free city in 2016 and caught around 6,000 pigs. The civic body caught 200 in January.

Y S Gupta, joint commissioner, MCG, said the pigs on the roads are reared by 20 to 25 families who allow them to roam freely during the day. “There is a provision of six months’ jail for the offence under the Haryana Municipal Corporations Act, but as it is a non-cognisable offence, police can’t take action against repeat offenders. We will ask the deputy commissioner to issue directions on stray pigs under the Criminal Procedure Code, making it a cognisable offence,” Gupta said.