Now, ear tagging of livestock to check cattle menace

LUCKNOW: Ear tagging of livestock may perhaps be the latest tool to check bovine menace in Lucknow division, which includes Lucknow, Hardoi, Lakhimpur, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Unnao districts.

Divisional commissioner Anil Garg directed the animal husbandry and other departments to carry out ear-tagging exercise to keep a check on the ongoing cattle-catching drive in districts.

“Animal tagging is the need of the hour. It will not only help us track the movement of animals, but also give us a brief idea about the progress of cattle protection drive,” said Garg while addressing a meeting here on Monday.

Reviewing the progress of cattle-catching exercise, he directed districts to carry out castration of bulls to check cattle population.

“It came to our notice that around 80% of the abandoned cattle are bulls. Hence, the departments have been directed to carry out castration exercise after tranquilising the animals,” he added.

He asked officials to ensure that all abandoned cattle are lodged in Kanji houses and other places allocated for keeping stray animals and impose fine on owners who leave the cattle on roads.

The DMs were asked to carry out awareness drive in their districts and tell people to be kind to animals and not abandon them.

To recall, the government had directed DM’s across UP to make roads free from stray cattle menace by January 10.

The review meeting was an outcome of the government’s orders to keep check on stray animals. So far, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation had lodged around 8,300 animals in Kanha Upvan in Nadarganj, 800 cattle in Gaushala in Janakipuram and 500 cattle in Radha Upvan in Indira Nagar.