Ill-equipped IMC wrestles with stray animals
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04, 2012: Inspite of concerted effort to keep away stray animals from the streets, poorly equipped Imphal Municipal Council personnel are vulnerable to injuries in trying to capture the animals.

The IMC personnel could carry out their task in a more efficient and effective manner in case they are provided vehicles to corner and tow away captive animals, said Council Chairperson Nameirakpam Raghumani while speaking to The Sangai Express.

Pointing out that IMC launched specific drives since August last year to ensure that the general public are free from animal-related predicament, Raghumani regretted that despite public notices against releasing domestic animals, particularly cattle and horses to public places cattle owners continue to defy the public-safety instruction.

Cautioning that IMC is not only empowered to capture stray animals but the owners are also liable to be imposed monetary fines under an specific Act, he confided that penalties ranging from Rs 150 for calves/younger animals to Rs 250-500 for grown-ups were slapped against the owners last year.

Informing that six personnel of the Council are being deployed to specifically catch stray animals, the Chairperson maintained that these personnel have suffered injuries on several occasion in trying to bring captive animals.

Some personnel even required prolonged treatment at hospitals due to injuries sustained in horse kicks and goring by the animals, Raghumani informed that in other States vehicles such as recovery vans are provided to the Municipal authorities for hauling up stray animals at the spot.

Stating that vehicles to herd in stray animals and bring them to the Council campus have become a necessity for IMC to carry out its task in an effective manner, the Chairman also conveyed that a proposal would be placed before the Government to provide such a vehicle at the earliest.

Noting that the menace of stray animal is particularly evident in the rainy season, he also opined that reduction in the grazing space in Imphal areas compared to increasing number of vehicles on the road is a cause for concern for everyone as motor accidents normally occur in trying to avoid hitting the stray animals loitering on the roads.

Further stating that both commuters and pedestrians had suffered injuries due to goring and kicking by stray animals, he also appealed to the cattle owners not to release their animals to the streets.

Disagreeing with some cattle owners' allegation that captured animals are left to starve in the IMC stable, Raghumani asserted that cattle fodders are being purchased at the rate of about Rs 3000 for a mini Tata (407) load.

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