Who will crack the whip on menace of strays?

Cows, bulls, horses and even pigs move in the middle of the roads, risking motorists, pedestrian safety 

Mysore/Mysuru: The menace of stray cattle continues to persist in various parts of the city, as the officers of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) disregard the orders of the Mayor, who had recently warned of strict action if the officers fail to take necessary measures.

Cows, bulls, horses, and even pigs can be seen roaming around on roads such as Sayyaji Rao Road, Ashoka Road, M.G. Road, Chamaraja Double Road and Vani Vilasa Road, among other busy thoroughfares. This poses a threat to both motorists and pedestrians.

As the number of vehicles, particularly cars, has increased in recent years, so has the density of traffic, resulting in a rise in the number of stray animals. It has become common for riders to encounter these animals unexpectedly, either crossing the road recklessly or resting in the middle of the road, completely unaffected by honking.

Some considerate riders try to coax these animals away using sound or a stick, ensuring their own safety as well as that of the other vehicles.

These stray animals not only disrupt the smooth flow of traffic but also pose a potential risk to life, especially on busy roads. In order to avoid colliding with them, riders sometimes lose balance, leading to injuries or even fatalities. Moreover, there is also a concern for the well-being of the animals themselves.

M.G. Road, which hosts a popular vegetable market where farmers from Mysuru taluk sell their produce in bulk or retail, attracts a large number of stray cattle. This issue extends beyond the problem of strays, as people who visit the market tend to park their vehicles on the sides of the road, further exacerbating the civic woes.

With the advent of social media, incidents of stray cattle causing havoc, chasing innocent people and creating chaos can be found in numerous videos, not just in Mysuru but elsewhere as well. In the event of similar incidents occurring in Mysuru, it remains unclear who should be held accountable — the MCC or the cattle rearers. There are no definite answers to this question.

Warnings ignored

MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy issued a notification on June 27, warning cattle rearers of consequences if they fail to tether their cattle within a week. Taking into consideration the increasing number of road accidents involving stray cattle, the Commissioner expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “Despite holding meetings with cattle rearers and issuing strict instructions, they are not heeding them.”