MC embarks on making Panchkula stray cattle-free by August-end
Over 50 cows impounded in first three days of the month-long drive; earlier 872 stray cattle was captured between January and July this year
To tackle the growing menace of stray cattle, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation has launched a month-long campaign aimed at making the city stray cattle-free. Within just the first three days of the statewide drive, launched on August 1, over 50 stray cows have already been impounded from various parts of the district.
This fresh initiative adds to earlier efforts that saw 872 cattle captured between January and July this year.
The current campaign, securing 55 stray cattle in the initial three days of its launch, focuses on identifying, tagging, documenting, and safely relocating stray animals to nine registered gaushalas (cow shelters) in Panchkula, all managed by NGOs under the Gau Sewa Aayog.
To ensure accountability and tracking, each impounded animal is fitted with a unique ear tag and photographed at the location of capture. Daily updates are recorded and shared with senior officials.
The animal husbandry department is also actively supporting the campaign, with veterinarians conducting health checks of the stray animals before relocation.
Municipal commissioner RK Singh reiterated the administration’s commitment to resolving the issue. “We are working with full force to rid Panchkula of stray cattle. The city will soon be free from this menace,” he said.
The civic body is utilising four dedicated cattle-catching vehicles and the services of a contractor for impounding stray cattle.
A meeting was also conducted on Monday with gaushala operators to ensure that adequate space and facilities are available to accommodate the newly impounded cattle.
An MC official said that a stringent penalty system is also in place to deter negligence. “Owners of stray cattle found roaming in public areas will face a fine of ₹5,000 per cow for a first offence. The fine doubles for repeat offences and persistent violators risk permanent impoundment of their cattle. So far this year, fines amounting to ₹1.75 lakh have been issued,” the MC official said.
The campaign primarily focuses on the border areas of Panchkula such as Sector 17, Rajiv Colony, Peer Muchalla (Zirakpur) belt, and Ramgarh— localities identified as high-density zones for stray cattle.
MC officials highlighted that many of the animals found roaming on roads are not stray, some are pets deliberately left to graze in public spaces.
In one notable instance, a resident in Chandigarh’s Indira Colony area was found to own around 150 cows, which are regularly released for open grazing.
The urgency of this campaign stems from alarming safety statistics.
According to a report, Haryana recorded over 900 fatalities in approximately 3,380 road accidents caused by stray cattle from August 2018 till August 2022.
In response, the state government introduced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana (DAYALU-II) in May 2023 to provide financial assistance to families affected by accidental death or disability due to stray animals.
