AMC has proposed to the Health and Solid Waste Committee that the fine for stray cattle owners be increased by about 150 to 200 %. The civic body currently imposes Rs 3,000 fine and an additional fodder charge of Rs 1,000 per day on owners whose cattle are caught on the roads.
According to a senior official, the AMC has proposed raising the fine to Rs 4,500 and adding an additional Rs 1,500 per day as a fodder charge if the animal is caught for the second time. If caught for the third time, the fine would increase to Rs 6,000, with an additional Rs 2,000 fodder charge per day. On the fourth occasion, AMC would seize the cattle and refuse to release them.
Following a PIL, the Gujarat High Court directed civic authorities to reduce the number of stray cattle in the city. Following that, AMC began filing police cases and penalising owners of stray cattle. However, according to a recent survey, the number of stray cattle on city streets has increased to approximately 2.75 lakh, of which approximately 1.75 lakh have been tagged with Radio Frequency Identification tags (RFID).
The AMC’s Cattle Nuisance Control Department (CNCD) works two shifts a day to capture stray cattle on city streets. In a meeting on December 20, it will decide whether to increase the fine for owners of stray cattle.
The Ahmedabad police chief declared Navrangpura ward free of stray cattle in a notification issued on Saturday. Owners in this area have been told that they must register their cattle within 60 days or face legal action. This is the first time a ward has been designated as a cattle-free zone.