Cattle owners near KR Market and Kalasipalyam are a harassed lot. While rearing cattle in the concrete jungle is in itself a Sisyphean struggle, they also have to contend with disposing of the caracasses of their cattle.
“When our cows die, we take their carcasses to areas like Kengeri and Kanakapura Road and bury them there,” said Arun, who owns a cowshed near KR Market.
All cattle owners near KR Market and Kalasipalyam follow the same practice. The owners say that the BBMP refuses to provide any help in this matter. “We have contacted the Palike many times for help in disposing of carcasses, but they refuse to help,” said Chandru, another cattle owner.
He said that earlier the BBMP used to help them with disposing of carcasses. “Years ago, when there was a cattle death, we used to call the BBMP and they used to collect the dead cows for disposal. But they refuse to do so anymore,” he added.
The owners say disposing of animal carcasses is a costly affair and time-consuming. “We travel at least 150 km to dump carcasses and have to arrange for everything from transport vehicle to burying. It costs us anywhere between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000 and sometimes more,” said Ramesh, another owner. “We are not rich cattle owners and the Palike should help us,” he added.
‘Not our concern’
When contacted, Dr Parvez Ahmad Piran, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, BBMP, said it was not his department’s responsibility. “This work comes under the Solid Waste Management department. We don’t handle carcasses and their disposal.”
An official from Solid Waste Management department said they dispose of only stray cattle. “If a cattle owner contacts us, we don’t help with the disposal of carcasses. If the stray cattle that we have caught and which hasn’t been claimed by anybody dies, we dispose it,” said the official. “The owners need to make their own arrangements. Why should we make arrangements for them?”
The area around KR Market and Kalasipalyam faces another problem, that of stray cattle disrupting traffic. To tackle the problem, the Palike has decided to increase the fine collected from owners for leaving the cattle unattended. “We have sent a proposal to the government to increase the fine from Rs 100 to Rs 500. We catch at least 100 to 150 stray cattle in a month,” said Piran.
“Taking care of the cattle and providing them fodder till they are claimed by their owners involves money. The increase in fine is needed,” said another official from the department.
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