In a bid to make Rohtak “Stray-Free,” the city administration has turned to technology to solve a human-made problem. The new RFID tagging campaign began today with the tagging of over 200 dairy animals in the first phase.
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How the Tech Works: A small, grain-sized RFID chip is injected under the animal’s skin or attached as a tamper-proof ear tag. This chip contains a unique ID number linked to a centralized database containing the owner’s Aadhaar details, address, and contact number.
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The Crackdown: Special teams equipped with handheld RFID scanners will patrol major intersections and “black spots” where cattle congregate. “When we catch a cow on the road, the owner can no longer claim it’s not theirs. The scanner will tell us exactly whose barn it came from,” said a senior RMC official.
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Fines and Penalties:
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First Offense: A fine of ₹5,000.
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Repeat Offense: A fine of ₹10,000 and the permanent seizure of the animal.
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The owner will also be liable for any road accidents caused by their stray animal.
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Public Safety First: Rohtak has seen a 15% rise in nighttime road accidents involving cattle this year. The administration believes that the fear of identification and heavy fines will force owners to keep their livestock confined to their premises or designated dairies.
