KANGRA
Stray animals have grown to be a serious traffic problem in Palampur, and the municipal corporation has failed to curb their threat. The town and the neighboring regions are seeing an increasing number of deadly incidents connected to the growing threat of stray livestock.
As stray animals often impede traffic on the Pathankot-Mandi and Palampur-Dharamsala roads, commuters have expressed grave worries about the risks of traveling on these routes. On these highways, motorists frequently travel at high speeds, but when stray animals unexpectedly cross their path, they are forced to hit the brakes quickly. Numerous accidents have resulted from this, some of which have been tragic,”a local resident stated.
On the Pathankot-Mandi highway, two motorcycle riders were killed in a recent tragic occurrence when they collided with a black bull that was sitting in the center of the road and was unseen in the dark. There have been several documented incidents of animals roaming on busy roadways causing accidents involving both light and large automobiles.
In places like Nagri, Gopalpur, Paror, Maranda, Kalu Di Hatti, Ghuggar, Lohana, and Aima villages, the situation is very dire. Stray cattle are a regular hazard to both people and drivers in Palampur town, especially around the Kalibari Temple, Plaza Market, and SSB Chowk. Three people have already lost their lives in the town as a result of being attacked or struck by stray bulls.
The fact that a 50-acre cow sanctuary in Palampur that was constructed two years ago at a cost of Rs 5 crore is still not operational because of administrative delays and bureaucratic obstacles only serves to increase public annoyance. According to reports, the Animal Husbandry Department, which is in charge of the establishment, has not done anything to get the sanctuary operating. To pay for stray cattle houses, the state government takes Re 1 from each bottle from liquor contractors. The deputy commissioners of the corresponding districts get these payments. However, the problem is still mostly unresolved and relatively few have taken meaningful action.
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa has been encouraged by a number of social and nonprofit organizations to act quickly to operationalize the cow sanctuary in Nagri. They claim that the lack of funds and resources is the main reason why the Municipal Corporation and the Animal Husbandry Department have not been able to address the issue of stray animals. Residents are calling for immediate action to stop further fatalities and guarantee safer roads in Palampur as the threat to life and safety persists.
