Hyderabad: Last week’s floods in Hyderabad claimed lives of 177 animals besides 70 human lives. 177 cattle belonging to dairy farms adjacent to Musi River died as the river flooded due to heavy rains and consequent breach of Jillelguda and Gurram Cheruvu (Balapur Lake) on Saturday night.
According to Deccan Chronicle, as many as 146 buffaloes and 18 calves, apart from 13 sheep and goats died downstream of Himayatsagar, Jillelguda tank and Gurram Cheruvu. Dairy farms owners mostly raise cattle, goats and sheep on banks of Musi River as the green grass is easily available there.
While the cattle owners blame the apathy of GHMC, revenue and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) for the deaths of the animals saying no city department had alerted them about evacuating their animals, officials on the other hand claim that dairy farm owners had tied cattle, sheep and goats in their farms adjacent to Musi River. As the river flooded, they could not escape and drowned in the floodwaters.
In protest against the government officials’ apathy cattle owners are not allowing disposal of the animal carcasses.