MOHALI: Irked over the lackadaisical attitude of the municipal corporation officials, mayor Kulwant Singh has demanded details of the first information reports (FIRs) registered against owners of stray cattle let loose in this town. In an MC house meeting, he told municipal commissioner Bhupinder Pal Singh to submit these information by the next assembly.The mayor took the decision after the MC house approved items on the tabled agenda following a hue and cry raised by the councillors over the stray-cattle menace in Mohali . The issue was raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Bobby Kamboj, who (in a jest) suggested legalising open areas as grazing grounds. During the house proceedings, Kamboj said: "We are fed up with the stray cattle. It seems that the only way is to legalise the open spaces for these cows and buffaloes to bask in the sun.""Herds of stray cattle can be seen pon various road intersections in town," said Sukhdev Singh Patwari, another councillor. He added: "It is next to impossible to take a stroll in the neighborhood parks. Stray cattle are always sitting there, leaving no space for the walkers." The councillors claimed that the MC had failed to get the FIRs registered against dairy owners for letting their cattle roam. The councillors recalled that the dairy owners had been issued notice under Section 188 of the Punjab Municipal Act to 166 on December 5, 2017, for warning them not to let their cattle loose for grazing in the community parks. Also, the MC had received complaints that some of the dairy owners were in the habit of disposing of cow dung in sewers. The cattle owners were given 15 days to stop the practice and when it was observed that they had not taken any cognizance of the notices, the MC recommended registration of the FIRs."But after that, no further action has been taken," said councillor Paramjit Singh Kahlon. Municipal commissioner Sandeep Hans had written to gthe Mohali police on March 5, recommending registration of FIRs against 149 dairy owners. However, till date no action has come against these people. "It is a chronic problem. We will start penalising the violators and, if required, seal their cattle sheds. They must declare how they dispose of the cow dung in a manner that does not pollute the environment," said deputy mayor Manjit Singh Sethi.Mayor Kulwant Singh has tol the councillors to leave double standards over stray cattle. He said: "During the house meeting, you raise a voice for catching stray cattle but when our teams go out to catch the animals, the owners start making telephone calls to the councillors to get the cows free." The Mohali municipal corporation failed to constitute bylaws for the registration and control of stray animals and for compensating the survivors of animal attack. The draft is ready but yet to be notified. The draft recommends compensation to be Rs 1 lakh under Rule 12.

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