Bengaluru gets clever for its pig problem, eyes porky gains
- Bengaluru city has approximately 5000 pigs.
- Under the recent contract, BBMP will pay ₹500 for every pig caught by the contractor.
- This contract has been drafted to motivate the contractor to catch more pigs.
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In Bengaluru, pigs are the common animal in sight especially in Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and HSR Layout. Over the years, the growing number of pigs has become a menace for the city and several complaints have been made to BBMP. The authority itself lacks the knowledge or strategy to handle this menace due to which over last six years the population of stray pigs grew to 5000.
The Hindu quoted a BBMP official as saying, “Pigs usually attack men and bite back during its capture. Catching stray pigs needs special skill and a large team. As we had no such expertise, we were left to only chase these pigs out of the city every time residents complained.”
During these six years, BBMP thrice called for tenders to catch the pigs but they failed on all three occasions. Finally, the authority has succeeded in awarding a pan-city contact for catching the stray pigs roaming in the city for one year. Under this tender, the work to catch the pigs will start from February 1.
This contract has been awarded to a Malur-based pig farm owner, named Munichandra. As per this contract, BBMP will pay ₹500 for every pig caught by Munichandra and his team of 20 men, and the contractor will weigh it and pay ₹50 per kilo of meat yield from the pig to the civic body.
Interestingly, the market price of for cut and cleaned pork meat is between ₹200 to ₹220 and for uncut and untrimmed it is ₹80 to ₹90. Meaning, the contractor will not only earn money from the BBMP but also will make a good profit by selling the pork meat.
The joint director of Animal Husbandry, BBMP, Dr G Anand, stated that this tender has been drafted in a manner that it motivated the contractors to catch as many stray pigs as possible, the same report claimed. The terms of this one year contract are such that the contractor can make lakhs of money by catching pigs and selling the pork meat.
In other words, the Bengaluru city will perhaps be fighting its pig menace through porky delights.
