Chennai: With a view to eradicate the menace of pigs roaming on streets, causing danger to the health and safety of the public in Padappai village in Sriperumbudur taluk at Kancheepuram district, the Madras high court has directed authorities to take necessary steps to remove the pigs to some other place. Passing interim orders on a public interest litigation from a 75-year-old woman, a resident of Padappai village, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar directed the authorities to file counter affidavit along with the status report. “In the meantime, the authorities shall take necessary steps to remove the pigs to some other place”, the bench added and posted to June 20, further hearing of the case.
According to petitioner, Padappai was a fast growing outer area and located in between Tambaram and Oragadam. As on today the population was more than 10,000. The entire Padappai area was now infested with a lot of pigs which freely roam on the streets and cause threat to the public. Those pigs also sometimes chase children walking on the street and tend to bite them. At present more than 400 pigs were roaming on the main and arterial roads of Padappai, causing a grave menace to the public health and safety.
On enquiry, she came to know that the breeding rate of pigs was so high to the extent that pigs produce about 20 to 30 piglets in a year and average life span of a pig was 10 years which in turn means each pig averagely produces 250 pigs in its lifetime. She was also shocked to know that pigs acts as carriers for virus that causes swine flu and brain fever which were fatal to the human life.
When she went to lodge complaint with the Block Development Office, she noticed more number of pigs roaming in and around the office. Since the youngsters in her area were busy in their daily life, she realised that immediate action was needed and therefore, she sent several representations to various authorities including the district collector. Though they promised to take action to remove the pigs, no action was taken so far. Therefore, she filed the present PIL, she added.
