SATISH HANDA
According to a study on information by state police and health departments an average 10 persons reported die in nearly 50 road mishaps daily due to stray cattle wandering on the roads in thickly populated residential areas, highways and even seen on the railway tracks in Haryana state. The number of those sustain injuries in these accidents is much higher. Information reveals, there are between 575 to 650 cow shelters (Gaushala) including few being managed by private social welfare organizations in the state accommodating between 4 to 4.5 lakh cows in these shelters. According to information, about six years ago there were nearly 325 cow sheds in the state having nearly 3.20 lakh animals. According to Shravan Garg Chairman Gau-sewa Aayog , state government had announced twice on August 15, 2019 and January 26, 2020 to make Haryana state stray animals free but claims could not be fulfilled and the number of stray cattle on roads all over in the state fast rising.
According to a study, 241 persons were reported died in road mishaps due to stray cattle in past two years in the state, which include 40 at Fatehabad, 36 at Ambala, 23 each at Kaithal and Sirsa, 19 at Hisar, 16 at Panchkula, 14 at Panipat, 13 at Bhiwani, 10 at Jhajjar, 9 at Karnal, 7 each at Rewari and Yamunanagar, 4 at Kurukshetra, 3 at Charkhi Dadri, 2 each at Faridabad and Palwal and one at Panipat. Sometime ago, media teams in the state conducted a survey in all district headquarters to find out number of stray cattle on the roads in 10 km area in every district headquarter in the state which was identified as 3700 stray cattle found moving on the roads at Jind and Bhiwani, 1076 cattle at Jhajjar, 1000 cattle at Panchkula, 900 cattle at Rohtak, 750 cattle at Charkhi Dadri, 640 cattle at Hisar, 500 cattle at Sirsa, 372 cattle at Rewari, 370 cattle at Fatehabad, 270 cattle at Narnaul, 220 cattle at Kaithal,212 cattle at Kurukshetra, 206 cattle at Palwal, 165 cattle at Sonepat, 133 cattle at Faridabad, 127 cattle at Nuh, 126 cattle at Yamunanagar, 115 cattle at Karnal, 114 cattle at Panipat, 107 cattle at Ambala, and 80 cattle at Gurugram.
This correspondent had a survey of stray cattle in Ambala district and observed that there are nearly 9500 cows in 10 cow shelters in the district and these shelters are not in a position to accommodate more animals due to limited space and financial sources due to shortage of funds since amount worth Rs 50 towards feed required for each animal in a day. Information revealed that 7 persons died 23 seriously injured in road accidents with stray animals at Ambala in the year 2018, 10 persons died 28 seriously injured in accidents with stray animals in the year and 6 persons died and 12 seriously injured in road accidents with stray animals in past seven months during current year.
