Chennai, 7 December (H.S.) : The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has issued an appeal for volunteers and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to assist in the fodder supply and daily upkeep of cows housed in the city's newly constructed and forthcoming cattle shelters.

This initiative is a critical component of the GCC's continuous strategy to manage the city's significant population of stray cattle, estimated at nearly 23,000 privately owned animals that frequently roam public streets.

The Corporation plans to formalise this partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for facilities like the large Royapuram shelter, which currently houses about 550 cows, with the intent to extend this model across other zones.

Currently, four shelters are operational, housing 700 cows, while 17 new shelters are under construction. The GCC's enforcement efforts, which involve dedicated cattle-catching teams across 15 zones, have resulted in the impoundment of 16,692 cows and the collection of ₹4.43 crore in fines between 2021 and 2025, with owners facing a ₹10,000 penalty for the animals' release.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary