Ludhiana: ₹20-crore cow cess lying in MC’s bank account, stray cattle menace persists

The municipal corporation (MC) has ‘failed’ to effectively address the stray cattle menace in the city, drawing ire from the residents. The development comes despite the MC’s collection of ₹20 crore as cow cess lying in its bank account.

Stray cattle roaming on the roads have become a hazard and raised concerns over road safety, especially amid the foggy weather conditions.

MC officials attribute the problem to a shortage of space to shelter the stray animals. According to the officials, over 1,800 stray cattle have been relocated to various gaushalas in and around the city and the expenses for their daily maintenance are incurred by the MC.

Residents expressed frustration over what they said was the MC’s ‘inability’ to utilise cow cess funds effectively.

Haibowal resident Gurpreet Singh said, “Every day, we see stray cattle blocking the roads. It gets worse during winters. Drivers can barely see a few metres ahead due to the fog and these animals make it even more dangerous. The MC has money to tackle this issue, but nothing is being done.”

Another commuter, Manjit Kaur, said, “I narrowly escaped an accident last week when a cow suddenly appeared on the road near Gill Chowk. This is not a minor inconvenience, but a matter of life and death. The authorities need to act before someone loses their life.”

The MC had introduced cow cess to fund shelters and address the stray cattle issue. However, the lack of effective action has raised questions about the use of these funds. While officials claim to be working on plans to set up additional cow shelters and intensify cattle-catching drives, locals say the situation paints a grim picture of negligence.

Despite repeated attempts, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.