Chennai Corporation proposes to increase fine on owners of cattle

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will place a proposal to revise the fines levied upon owners who let their cattle loose on the roads posing a threat to road safety before the next Council meeting, said Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will place a proposal to revise the fines levied upon owners who let their cattle loose on the roads, posing a threat to road users, before the next Council meeting, said Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan.

At present, ₹2,000 is collected as penalty from the owners and an additional ₹200 a day is levied after impounding the animals and till the owners take them home.

The GCC keeps the cattle in its custody for three days and later sends them to the shelters maintained by the Blue Cross of India, according to an official in the civic body’s Health Department.

The Corporation has collected ₹62.90 lakh in fines till date this year and rounded up 3,241 cows, the officials said.

Mr. Radhakrishnan told reporters on Sunday that stray cattle injured six persons in Triplicane recently.

“The owners must act responsibly as this has threatened the lives of many and is a road safety risk. We are planning to take ownership of the cows of repeated offenders to control the menace. The animals belonging to the repeat offenders can be sent to Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) campus at Kattupakkam permanently, where the owners will not be permitted to reclaim the cows,” he told The Hindu.