Civic body kills 150 pigs in 3 days

Kavali (Nellore): The civic body officials, who smelled a big racket where hundreds of pigs were being reared in the town limits, addressed the issue by killing around 150 animals in the last three days. It may be recalled that a group of pigs attacked a boy and an elderly woman three days ago.

Highlights:

• Kavali municipal authorities took pigs attacking an elderly woman and a boy very seriously
• Officials found a racket behind the pig rearing in the town
• Civic body officials to put an end pig menace based on the verdict delivered by HC in 1986

The woman was admitted in the local hospital for treatment. According to sources, Kavali civic authorities noticed that a big racket has been working in the tiny divisional headquarters where a group of people are supporting pig rearing communities by extending financial assistance in the municipal limits. In fact, the rearing of pigs requires no cost as they rely on houses, garbage heaps, canals and other dirty places in the town and these people never take care of woes of the residents.

A survey conducted by the municipal authorities revealed that there were 154 people from 119 families, who were relying on the activity with the support of alleged team of people, who have been extending financial support for purchase and rearing of pigs. There has been no change in the scenario even though local people lodge complaints with municipal authorities since pig rearing families approached the High Court of Hyderabad and filed four cases against the civic body.

The bid for elimination of pigs was also failed due to technical reasons. Officials said Kavali was the first municipal body that faced court cases regarding pig menace. Finally, the civic body officials held series of meetings with the people, who rely on pig rearing, and asked them to shift the animals to the distant places for healthy environs in the town.

But, the meetings went into vain. The municipal officials approached the legal experts and found that the High Court had delivered a verdict regarding a case filed in Guntur Municipal Corporation in 1986 regarding the same problem which became useful for them.

The High Court directed the municipal body in the case that pigs should be kept in a separate place away from city areas allocating a specific place for their rearing. The rearing should be confined to the domestic place or locality of the rearing people and they should not visit dwelling areas. The pigs should be provided licences from the civic body for which the authorities have to take special measures for fast clearance of applications.

The animals should have tags like stray dogs indicating their possession and civic authorities can take any legal action if they move outside the boundaries. Officials can even eliminate them if found moving in the public places, according to the verdict. Based on the HC judgement, officials have killed around 150 pigs within 3 days giving ample warnings to the owners.

“We have followed guidelines of the High Court which directed us to follow the Acts regarding the issue. Pigs should have licences and should be kept separately in a distance place. Considering plight of the owners, we identified 6-acres of land at Kavali tank and are planning to shift the rest of the pig population shortly. People who rear pigs shall obtain licences, otherwise we will have to act according to law,” said Annavarapu Venkateswarlu, Kavali Municipal Commissioner, speaking to
The Hans India.

By P V Prasad