In response to frequent demands to pay compensation for livestock killed by wandering dogs, the Tiruppur administration on Friday lent its assurance that it would forward a recommendation to the government based on the findings of village administrative officers and the Animal Husbandry Department.
District Collector T. Christuraj made the announcement during a grievances redress meeting held with a group of farmers from the Kangeyam-Vellakoil belt led by PAP Vellakoil Branch Water Conservation Association (Kangayam-Vellakoil) president P Velusamy. The meeting was held after the farmers assembled outside the Collectorate on Thursday with the carcasses of goats mauled to death by wandering dogs. The farmers pointed out that hundreds of goats had fallen prey to dog attacks, causing losses running into several lakh rupees.
The Collector also instructed the Animal Husbandry Department to mobilise municipalities and panchayat unions in the district to carry out sterilisation of the wandering dogs.
Releasing the neutered dogs in the same area serves no purpose, Mr. Velusamy said, since there’s no guarantee that the dogs will not attack livestock again. He demanded that the administration take measures to declare rabid dogs as vermins. If Kerala could declare wild boars as vermin, there was no reason why rabid dogs should not be categorised so, since street dog menace has now assumed proportions of man-animal conflict, Mr. Velusamy pointed out.
The farmers also demanded registration of a First Information Report on deaths of livestock due to attacks by wandering dogs, and sought immediate compensation for affected farmers from the discretionary funds of the local bodies.
Those portraying farmers in the wrong light over the issue on social media should also be dealt with, they emphasised.
The farmers’ demand was reiterated by representatives of the Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Movement, and Tamil Nadu Environment Protection Movement.
Published - September 28, 2024 07:06 pm IST
