Tiruppur farmers welcome Supreme Court directives for countering street dog menace

Farmers in Tiruppur district who have lost several hundreds of their livestock to ferocious dogs wandering in packs have hailed the Supreme Court directives to the State governments on containment of the canine menace.

The verdict provides hope, particularly to those in Kangeyam, Vellakoil and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district and Chennimalai in Erode district to sustain livestock farming.

According to them, the notice issued to the secretaries of Department of Animal Husbandry in all States and union territories, seeking their response on framing of national policy to deal with the problem, has been a long-felt need.

The Supreme Court directive, in particular, has addressed the demand of Tiruppur and Erode for confinement of street dogs affected by rabies and those exhibiting aggressive behaviour in enclosures by the respective local bodies, P. Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakovil Branch Canal (Kangeyam-Vellakovil) Water Conservation Association, said.

The directives restricting public feeding of street dogs and firm handling of those who obstruct capture of such dogs will be as much helpful to the farmers, Mr. Velusamy said.

The farmers have, however, decided to go ahead with their protests demanding compensation from the government for the livestock killed so far by the wandering dogs.

The farmers have complained that they have not been provided the compensation announced by the government despite submitting the applications in specified formats.

Out of ₹61.80 lakh that the State Government had allotted for payment of compensation for animals and poultry lost to street dogs: cattle (₹37,500 each) each, goat/sheep (₹6000 each), chicken (₹200 each), affected farmers in Tiruppur were sanctioned ₹14 lakh in the first phase.

The farmers in Tiruppur have pointed out that the compensation was undervalued and that their actual losses was close to one crore rupees.

The farmers have decided to begin their protest demanding immediate settlement of compensation at the Tiruppur Collectorate on Sunday.