Attack on Sidhu: MC wakes up, five bulls made ‘captive’
WIDESPREAD PROBLEM Around 250 to 300 stray bulls roaming around on city roads
AMRITSAR:A day after Punjab local bodies minister and some mediapersons had a narrow escape in a stray bull attack at the famous Durgiana Temple, the authorities launched a drive to tame the stray bulls in the city and five, including the one, which attacked the minister and mediapersons on Wednesday, were made ‘captive’. The drive was launched by the cattle pound department’ of the municipal corporation.
The city is visited by thousands of people everyday, but the authorities concerned came into action to curb the stray cattle menace only after a stray bull attacked a minister.
Two IAS officers, deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and municipal corporation commissioner Sonali Giri, were also with the minister when he came under bull attack.
The employees on the job said the bull that attacked the minister and others caught when it was wandering outside the gaushala situated in the vicinity of the temple premises.
It was later sent to a cattle pound at the Lahori gate.
He said they have held as many as five stray bulls so far and the drive is on.
However, there are around 250 to 300 stray bulls roaming around and posing danger to the residents and commuters. The employees also took help of the police, who accompanied them while they went to catch the stray cattle.
Ramesh Sharma, president of Durgiana Temple management committee, said the problem of stray cattle was due to the presence of a a few dairies near the premises of the temple.
Secondly, he said, the gaushalas do not accommodate the stray cattle and they are left to roam about. “We have written several letters to the civic body to make the surroundings of the temple free of the menace, but in vain,” he said, adding, “The dairies should be shifted outside the city.”
OFFICIAL SPEAK
“Really, the incident that took place on Wednesday could have proved a serious one. I will talk to officials of the corporation to find immediate solution to the problem. The problem is that gaushalas do not accommodate the bulls,” said Kamaldeep Singh Sangha, deputy commissioner
Sonali Giri, commissioner, municipal corporation said, “First of all, it was not attack. The bull was crossing from that side and nobody was hurt. When we asked office-bearers of the Durgiana Temple committee, they said cattle come there as they offer eatables to them. The problem is that gaushalas usually accommodate cows, but not bulls. We are taking measures to tame them in government-run cattle pounds”.
RESIDENTS SPEAK
President of the Durgiana Mandir committee, however, said, “We don’t offer food to stray cattle at the temple. How can we do so. You know the people who want to offer food go to gaushalas. Actually, the civic body is not serious to resolve the issue”.
“The authorities usually come into action when they face pressure. Normally they don’t bother about the problem faced by residents. The citizens should also play the role to make the authorities accountable,” said Nanak Singh, a student of GNDU
“Security is primary right of citizens. Stray cattle pose a big threat to the safety of citizens and the administration should take necessary measures to ensure the safety of the people,”said Mrigish Chopra, an employee of private company