MAPUSA
The menace of stray cattle has returned with a vengeance posing serious risks to motorists and property.
The issue has been recurring for over many years and appears to see no end especially during the monsoons.
Cattle wandering especially on roads are a common sight particularly in the night. While the cattle usually mean no harm, their loitering on arterial roads poses dangers to motorists.
The cattle also enter into the fields and destroy seasonal crops causing loss to farmers.
“I had to slow down my car after seeing the cattle in the middle of the road near the school in Assagao. These cattle can cause accidents endangering lives of people and also of the cattle,” said a motorist who was negotiating a road in Assagao early Sunday morning.
A herd of cattle was seen loitering in the middle of the main road near a school at Bountavaddo, Assagao early Sunday morning inconveniencing the motorists.
Incidentally, the local village panchayat had received several complaints regarding destruction of agricultural crops by the cattle in the daytime as well as at night.
The panchayat then issued a public notice warning the villagers that such stray cattle wandering on roads or found destroying crops would be confiscated and handed over to the gaushala.
“Almost every day we find cattle roaming freely on roads. These cattle belong to the villagers who leave them free to move around. The authorities should impose stiff fines on the owners to discourage them,” said Owen Braganza, a resident of Assagao.
The Assagao panchayat does not have the manpower or the necessary space to construct a cattle pound.
“We are working on the issue. We are in touch with the Gomantak Gausevak Mahasangh, Sikeri in Mayem so that they can impound and keep the cattle in their gaushala,” said Hanumant Naik, sarpanch of Assagao.
According to the coordinator of GOACAN, Roland Martins the government has a scheme offering financial aid to the local governing bodies to tackle the stray cattle menace but the panchayats have shown tepid interest in the scheme.
“Although there is a scheme where in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service is offering a grant to the village panchayats not many in Bardez have taken advantage of the same. In the scheme the financial aid is directly paid to the agency which impounds and takes care of the cattle,” Martins informed.
He said the panchayats will do a great service to the villagers if they could work an arrangement with such agencies/gaushalas.
