Cattle Menace / Stray Cattle Menace Grows In Kalahandi's Dharamgarh, Residents Seek Action

Dharamgarh, Sep 7: Residents of Dharamgarh town in Kalahandi district are increasingly troubled by the growing number of stray cattle roaming the streets, with locals alleging that the animals are causing traffic disruptions, accidents and damage to agricultural crops.

Stray cattle are frequently found sitting or moving along busy roads, creating hurdles for commuters and raising concerns over road safety. Residents alleged that accidents have occurred when vehicles encounter cattle on the roads, while the animals also contribute to traffic congestion in parts of the town.

Locals said they have repeatedly brought the issue to the attention of the Dharamgarh Notified Area Council (NAC), but alleged that no effective solution has been implemented so far.

Residents have now approached the Dharamgarh NAC executive officer, urging the civic body to remove stray cattle from roads and take immediate steps to address the problem.

Farmers Allege Crop Damage
The problem is not confined to the town. Farmers have alleged that stray cattle frequently enter agricultural fields, particularly at night, and damage standing paddy crops.

Somanath Nayak, a farmer, said thousands of cattle were entering paddy fields spread across several acres and consuming or damaging the crops.


“The owners of the cows are totally indifferent to the problems faced by us and commuters on the road. Accidents are taking place because of stray cattle. If the authorities do not take action against the owners, all farmers will stage a road blockade and gherao the sub-collector’s office,” Nayak said.

Farmers have also complained to the Dharamgarh sub-collector, seeking measures to prevent cattle from entering their fields and causing crop losses.

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NAC Plans To Resume Rehabilitation
Dharamgarh NAC Executive Officer Biswambar Mishra said the civic body has an arrangement with Anant Goshala to rehabilitate stray cattle.

“We have a pact with Anant Goshala to rehabilitate the cows. Last year, we sent around 180 cows to Anant Goshala. This year, we sent the cows in two phases. In the first phase, there were 60 cows and 22 cows were sent in the second phase,” Mishra said.


He said the rehabilitation programme had been temporarily paused due to heavy rainfall but would resume shortly.

“Due to heavy rain this year, the rehabilitation programme has paused. We will again begin the process within one or two days. There won’t be any such menace in the town,” Mishra said.