Amid the rising dengue-affected figures in the city as well keeping the cleanliness factor in mind, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) from Kolkata Police has now decided to act tough against the existing cowshed within the city’s vicinity, an official said.

A senior official with the KMC said that although officially the KMC has banned the existence of cowshed within the city premises for quite some time, but illegally some cowsheds have continued to operate in certain pockets which are extremely congested.

“Because of these illegal cowsheds, not only the cleanliness aspect in that area is affected but it is also resulting in an influx of mosquitoes and flies in and around the sheds. Such cowshed owners have been cautioned several times but they did not adhere. So this time, KMC has decided to act tough and give the shed owners an ultimatum and deadline for shifting of the same,” the KMC official added.

Confirming the initiative, the KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim said that these cowshed owners would be provided with an alternative venue at Kalyani in Nadia district. 

“First our men will undertake a survey throughout the city vicinity identifying the sport where such illegal cowsheds are still running. Accordingly, KMC will first serve them with official notices. The police authorities will also be provided with a list of such illegal cowsheds and we will seek their cooperation in shifting these sheds,” the Mayor added.

Meanwhile, the KMC official said that often these shed owners illegally link the drainage line of their shed with the main sewerage line of KMC. 

“This often leads to blockades in the sewerage lines, which leads to waterlogging in that area in case of heavy rains. Generally, it is seen that the time of water remaining stagnant in areas with such illegal cowsheds is more than other areas in the city,” he added.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)