OLD GOA
With complaints of cattle damaging produce in the fields, the Santa Cruz panchayat has warned the cattle owners not to allow their cattle to go astray.
The panchayat has further warned that it would not hesitate to impound the cattle and levy fine on the owners for their release, as per provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
Speaking to The Goan, Deputy Sarpanch Domnic Pereira said the panchayat called around 15 cattle owners to the panchayat for a meeting to discuss the issue of cattle menace on Monday.
“Twelve of the 15 cattle owners remained present and they have been told not to allow their cattle to stray into fields, onto the streets or into somebody else’s property,” Pereira informed while adding that, henceforth, if any cattle is found astray then panchayat would impound the same and penalize the owner for its release.
“Many farmers have taken up cultivation of their fields and they should not get disheartened due to damage to their produce by the cattle. Also, the cattle stray onto the streets thereby posing threat to the road users,” Pereira stated.
When questioned on the strays, Pereira informed that these would also be impounded and kept at the cattle pound. “Later, we will follow all procedure and if nobody comes forward to claim the cattle, then it would be auctioned off,” Pereira said.
He further stated that action against the cattle will commence once the cattle pound is built. “We will require at least a week’s time to put things in place after which we will initiate action against the cattle,” he said.
