Context: Chhattisgarh reported 231 road accident deaths from stray cattle in 2.5 years, exceeding Maoist-related fatalities. The government is addressing this with awareness drives and marking cattle horns.
Initiatives Taken:
- Painting Cattle Horns: Stray cattle horns are painted with reflective, high-quality paint to help drivers spot them at night.
- Collar Belts for Cattle: Collar belts are being tied to stray cattle to increase visibility and reduce collision risks.
- Awareness Drives: Chaupals (village meetings) are organized to educate rural communities about keeping roads free of cattle.
Relevance to UPSC Syllabus:
- GS Paper II – Governance:
- Government Policies: Analysis of public safety measures and their implementation at the state level.
- Institutional Coordination: Role of multiple departments in addressing safety issues.
- GS Paper III – Infrastructure & Disaster Management:
- Road Safety: Measures to mitigate road accidents and ensure public safety.
- Urban and Rural Development: Addressing challenges in rural and semi-urban governance.
- GS Paper IV – Ethics:
- Ethical Governance: Responsibility of officials to prioritize public safety.
- Case Studies: Stray cattle management as an example of ethical dilemmas in policymaking.
