Bhubaneswar: With work on the mega cattle shelter coming up at Jamukoli on the city’s outskirts progressing at a snail’s pace, bovine menace is back to the streets of Bhubaneswar.The six existing shelters, including the one at Jamukoli, house 1,997 cattle to their full capacity. For the mega shelter on 20 acres, tender has been floated recently, more than a year after it was proposed. In April last year, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) had planned to have the modern mega shelter for stray cattle.“Land has been identified and tender has been floated. There is yet to be discussion on technical and financial bids. Once these are finalised, a private party would be roped in to take up construction and other works,” said BMC deputy commissioner Suman Kumar Dungdung.In the city, stray cattle occupy the middle of main roads and don’t move until people alight from their cars and drive them away. As a result, traffic jams have become a regular sight. Small accidents, such as bulls hitting vehicles and vice-versa, occur routinely.A shortage of proper food compels stray cattle to eat hotel leftovers at garbage points. “BMC is creating mega shelters since their presence on streets and markets leads to menacing events, mostly traffic jams and accidents,” officials said.“The new goshala (shelter) can house 3,000 cattle with all modern facilities, vet care and proper fodder. At the existing facilities, there are 1,551 bulls, 400 cows and 46 calves. Once the mega shelter is ready, cattle from some shelters would be shifted here,” said Dungdung.BMC’s proposed cattle shelter at Jamukoli will adopt successful cattle care and management practices from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Ashram in Bengaluru. “The proposed facility aims to enhance the city’s cattle welfare infrastructure to address the cattle menace,” the civic officer added.Officials said cattle shelter will also have a dedicated veterinary hospital and a food storage facility, besides dedicated doctors and staff for regular check-ups, upkeep of the sprawling premises, and taking care of the hygiene of the cows and calves.Dungdung said the stray cows caught on the streets are being brought directly to the shelter as per new norm, without waiting for the owners to claim them.
