Madhya Pradesh: Radium belts help spot cows on highways

Mangalore Today News Network

Chhatarpur, August 6, 2016: Amid various news of cows being handled carelessly in Rajasthan and cattle smugglers killing police officers in Uttar Pradesh, a rather relieving initiative is being taken up by a group of social workers in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

 

HOLY COW

Cows generally avoid sitting in humid and muddy conditions and that is why they prefer loitering on the highways. "During rainy seasons, the number of road accidents increase because cows and other cattle prefer loitering along the roads in search of a dry resting place. We realised that accidents can be avoided by the use of an indicator," Pawn Mishra, convener of the Hindu Utsav Samiti (HUS) told Mail Today.

The HUS held meeting with the local police and with the help of local businessmen, they came up with a rather innovative idea.

"The cows would loiter about and end up resting on the NH-75 and NH-86 during the night. We contacted and convinced the locals to reach to a conclusion - of tying Radium belts around their necks. This will not only reduce accident risks by over 80 per cent, but also help in saving the cows", Mishra further added.

"It is our sincere request to the people (travelling on the National Highways) to take note of these reflectors to help reduce the number of accidents and casualties," he added.