Berhampur,A couple on scooty sustained injuries,when a cow suddenly ran to the vehicle near congress office chowk in Berhampur city.With bleeding injuries both the couple rushed to near by City hospital.Similarly two bike borne youths injured being fell on the ground,while trying to escape the chasing a group of stray dogs at Ainabandh street in the city,today.Incidently such incidents are common in the city everyday,caused by the stray animals.In an average,ten persons sustain serious injuries besides another 30 minor injuries per day in the city due to these stray animals.Stray cattle and dogs strolling or relaxing on the city roads and at adjacent National Highway has become a common sight.Though the cattle usually mean no harm,they have become a nightmare for the motorists and make the roads accident-prone.Due to the cattle menace, many men as well animals have been injured or died.Sometimes,these animals appear all of a sudden on roads,causing mishaps.In day time,commuters are vigilant,but the situation turns worse at night when it becomes difficult for the drivers to spot the stray animals due to darkness.Added to it chasing of barking dogs,often put the commuters on risk.Despite repeated appeals,to deal with the menace,the Berhampur Municipal Corporation(BeMC) has not come out with any concrete solution to this crucial issue of public interest.According to a estimate,the number of stray dogs in the city might be around 26,000.Mushrooming of fast food centres has attracted more dogs into the city limits as the animals feast on the waste dumped by the eateries along the roads.In the absence of measures to check their population,packs of dogs can be found on Government office premises,including Ganjam District Judge court, crowded market areas and even residential colonies.
An Animal Birth Control(ABC) programme was launched in the city in 2010,but even after elapse of one and half decade,not a single dog has been sterilised by BeMC or veterinary office under the programme.BeMC sources said,five staffers and a Jamadar of BeMC was trained in catching dogs.Besides,the corporation also purchased a dog catcher van,constructed a kennel house with 14 rooms and an operation theatre on the campus of District Veterinary Office in 2014.However,the facility remains unutilised and meanwhile all the trained six retired from their service on superannuation.Similarly the cow menace continued in the city.Earlier the BeMC staffs used to lift the cattles on the road and collects fine from the owner for the release of animals.But due to scarcity of cowshed,the programme dropped.In 2019,the BeMC started another programme and more than 7000 stray cattle in the Silk City were tagged with special 11-digit identity numbers,being assisted by veterinary dept.The BeMC also made the cattle owner that if their pets be found on roads,hefy penalty would be imposed on the owner.It was hoped that,as the tags has the details of its owners and to avoid from fine,the owners will be cautious and will not let their cattles out.But the programme seldom excuted and the cattles on roads now has tags.As per the norms,the census of domestic animals should be done in each five years.But the last census,which stated,there were 6,359 cows and 793 buffaloes in the city.Meanwhile the animal number more than doubled,but no census conducted.Also in 2022,the BeMC proposed for construction of a cowshed to keep the seized cattles from roads.At an cost of Rs 90 lakhs,the cattle-shed also started,but at the foundation stage till date.Surendra moharana,a corporator said he demanded in the recent held council meeting for early completion of the cowshed,but to no avail.
