They are not everywhere all of the time, of course, but when they are free ranging on the city roads more often than not, allowing some flexibility to the standing rules or turning a blind eye to the problem should be a cause for concern. The thromde administration is either too overwhelmed by the number of vagrant animals lounging about on the city roads or it simply doesn’t see it as a problem. The latter looks more like it. This cavalier abandonment of responsibility is increasingly threatening the safety of motorists and city residents.

Even without the unbidden visitors that seem to find idling about on our city roads a more rewarding occupation than grazing on other side of the fence where the grass is indeed greener, we have more than enough to contend with the ever-increasing stray dog population. Whence and wherefore the need to hyperbolise, really? Driving on the expressway these days is a dangerous affair what with scrawny little dogs darting about from unexpected corners and long lines of blissfully unflinching ruminants choking the road. Nervous horses trapped in the day’s dizzying traffic make skittish attempts to make past. Ever present is the risk of accidents and it is growing by the day.

Managing this growing problem should be thromde’s top priority. The way the thromde has adopted to address the problem of vagrant animals in the city precinct – impounding them and fining the owners – has not lent itself to commendable success. Instead it has added to the thromde’s rising expense. Releasing the impounded animals in the wild is at the best a short-sighted solution because the animals return to the road again.

With vehicle numbers in the city growing at an unprecedented rate, the thromde administration cannot afford foot-dragging any longer. There is already an arrangement with livestock department. Instead of impounding the animals and waiting for the owners to claim them, round them animals up and pack them off to the cattle-rearing centre in Wangkha. 

Or else, a better solution must be found to keep vagrant animals off the city roads.