Raj Bhavan seeks civic agency help to check feline trouble

Bengaluru: The increasing feline population inside the Raj Bhavan here has perplexed the staff of Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Vala, who have sought the assistance of the civic agency to relocate them.

A team from the animal husbandry department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, city civic body, recently visited the Raj Bhavan to inspect and fix the problem.

“Yes, we have received a letter from the Raj Bhavan asking us to relocate the cats. We have been to Raj Bhavan to inspect it,” said Dr G Anand  Joint Director of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike on Friday, December 21.

These cats, which number around 25 to 30, often come on the way of governor and guests and obstruct their movement when they stroll around the lush-green garden, he said.

This apart, they prey on the pigeons staying inside the premises and also invite the Raj Bhavan dogs to attack them.

“We have decided to relocate them (cats) to our rehabilitation center at Hebbal,” the officer said.

The Raj Bhavan officials confirmed that the cats have become a menace to them and hence they approached the BBMP to remove them from the sprawling campus.

The cats were reportedly brought to Raj Bhavan many years ago to check the rodent menace.

However, their population grew over a period of time causing trouble to VVIPs staying there.