Management of stray cattle has been a challenging task in Bhairahawa of Siddharthanagar Municipality.
But newly elected Mayor Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan had announced a plan to build a kanji house to house such quadrupeds as his first priority on the day he assumed his office.
Earlier, the outgoing mayor, Hari Prasad Adhikari, had allocated Rs. 5,450,000 for the fiscal year 2022/23 and invested in the management of the loose cattle. Although the municipality has planned to invest millions of rupees with the claim that the problem will be solved within a year, it has not even decided where to build the shelter for the stray cows.
Vehicular accidents are also on the rise in Rupandehi due to loose animals loitering in the city.
According to the municipality, no process related to kanji house has been started so far. Although it has been said that a kanji house will be built on the land owned by the municipality in Siddharthnagar-11, no decision has been taken yet.
It was said that necessary infrastructure would be constructed and brought into operation to house the loose animals in the public land of Siswa in Ward No. 11.
Ward Chairman Dilip Yadav said that the municipality has about 4-5 bighas of land in the area to protect, treat, and shelter four-legged animals in the city. The process stopped moving forward after the obstruction from locals.
The right to control four-legged animals falls on the shoulder of the local levels as per the Local Government Operation Act. The city dwellers were excited after the municipality started taking initiative in such activities. However, they are disappointed that the situation has not improved even after the budget allocation. This is the first time in the history of the city that such a budget has been allocated for a kanji house.
In addition to the house, an additional budget of Rs. 400,000 has been allocated by the municipality for the management of loose quadrupeds. The animal shelters of Bhaluhi and Baunnakoti have been allocated a budget of Rs. 200,000 each for the management of the stray animals injured in the accidents.
Stray cattle have also spoiled the beauty of the city and led to road accidents. According to the District Traffic Police Office, Rupandehi, the number of accidents caused by stray animals has increased over the last three years.
In the last three years, except for Butwal in Rupandehi, more than a dozen road accidents in the area were caused by the stray animals.
Vehicular movements are often disturbed in main market of Bhairahawa, Bank Road, Gallamandi, BP Road, Lumbini Road, Awa Road, Haat Bazaar, Milanchowk, Narayansthan, Siddhartha Raj Marg and other places by the free movement of the stray animals.
Source : TRN,
