Hyderabad rains: 177 cattle tied in yards die due to floods in River Musi

Hyderabad: As many as 177 animals belonging to dairy farms adjacent to Musi River have died due to floods in areas under the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Authorities said all of them, including cattle, sheep and goats, had been tied in their farms. Unable to escape, they all drowned in the floodwaters. The onus for deaths lies on dairy farm owners, officials maintain.

They have accused cattle owners of creating an unnecessary ruckus by not disposing of the animal carcasses in the designated burial grounds.

Incidentally, Jillelguda and Gurram Cheruvu (Balapur Lake) had breached late on Saturday night, adding to floods in River Musi.

According to highly placed sources, as many as 146 buffaloes and 18 calves, apart from 13 sheep and goats died downstream of Himayatsagar, Jillelguda tank and Gurram Cheruvu. Sources said dairy farms owners are habituated to raising cattle, goats and sheep on banks of Musi River due to easy availability of green grass.

The apathy of GHMC, revenue and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has caused the deaths animals, cattle owners say. They maintain that no city department had alerted them about evacuating their animals.

Cattle owners complain that neither the corporation nor revenue officials are ready to pay compensation. “Our livelihood will be threatened if the government does not come to our rescue. We have already lost cattle, whom we raised like our children. Authorities are not even supporting us in performing their last rites,” said Narayana, a cattle owner.

A senior GHMC official asked Deccan Chronicle not to highlight the issue, terming it “petty”. He said cattle owners are not allowing disposal of the animal carcasses, which could turn out to be quite dangerous in view of stagnating water. He said the loss of cattle has been notified to government, which would take a final call on compensation.

“On knowing about cattle deaths, animal right activists will protest or create some nuisance. It is better to let the issue subside. The corporation will handle the cattle owners without highlighting the issue,” the official said by way of explanation.