‘Take steps to tackle stray cattle on roads’

Cuttack: Orissa high court has directed Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to come up with a “proper action plan” to tackle the problems in movement of traffic on the account of stray cattle in almost all parts of the city. The court took up the issue a month ago after concern was raised by members of the High Court Bar Association who stated that unattended cattle is leading to road accidents, sometimes causing loss of lives. The special bench constituted for suo motu PILs on civic issues in Cuttack issued the direction on Thursday after CMC’s counsel submitted a report which indicated that stray cattle are being picked in two shifts — from 7 am to noon and from 2 pm to 7 pm — by engaging a seven-member team in each shift and deploying a cattle-catching trolley. The cattle are kept in CMC’s kine house at Sati Chaura for seven days and are then released to their owners with proper identification after collecting fines along with feeding charges. Between Apr 1 and Aug 3, more than Rs 2.69 lakh was collected from cattle owners towards fine and feeding charges.

Govt abandoning cattle has spiked wild animal attacks, says Akhilesh Yadav

Former CM Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP government of neglecting the rising man-animal conflicts that result in deaths, especially among children. He claims abandoned bovines attract wild animals to human habitats, causing fatal attacks. The issue is particularly severe in Bahraich and other districts, demanding urgent governmental action.

Rail bridges to be constructed over four rivers in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar

The Railways will construct four new bridges over the Birupa, Mahanadi, Kathajodi, and Kuakhai rivers in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack as part of a 22-km rail line project costing around Rs 1000 crore. This third line expansion aims to enhance capacity, reduce congestion, and improve connectivity on the Howrah-Chennai mainline.

High court allows filing of PILs at HC benches in Dharwad, Kburagi

Starting August 1, 2024, citizens of Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka can file public interest litigations (PIL) at the Dharwad and Kalaburagi benches of the Karnataka High Court. This new provision aims to make legal recourse more accessible for residents in north Karnataka districts, following a long-standing demand from local advocates and citizens.