Biker hit by stray cattle dies,AMC calls meeting of cattle-rearers

Ahmedabad, 3 August 2013

The Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad has called a meeting with the leaders of the cattle-rearing community on 10 August following an accident in which Bipin Soni(54) died after a cow came infront of his bike.

The Commissioner will make his stand clear in the meeting that stray animals on roads will not be tolerated.

The Commissioner will also have co-ordination meeting with the city police on this issue. The Commissioner is not satisfied with the size of the team the city police provide to accompany AMC’s cattle nuisance control department(CNCD) team. He has written a letter demanding increase in allotment of police staff.

In last one year, the AMC captured 7,512 cattle and collected Rs. 78.94 crore fine. During monsoon, hordes of cows are on the streets, obstructing traffic and causing accidents.

At present AMC’s cattle nuisance control department(CNCD) charges Rs. 1,000 fine for stray cow, buffalo, bull, horse and mature calf. This rate of penalty was fixed in year 2003. The AMC proposes to hike the rate to Rs. 4,000 with the permission of the state government. The AMC collects administrative charge of Rs. 300 for animals and also collects per day charge for fodder.

The AMC has requested the state government to study and draft a special law on the lines of Maharashtra Keeping and Movement of Cattle in Urban Areas Act, 1976. Such law is passed in Gujarat, will give power to municipal corporation to ban cattle-rearing in city and execute stricter penalties.