#TG LIFE
In recent years, Goa has witnessed growing urbanisation and while this has generated new facilities and opportunities, it has also created a host of new problems. One of these pressing issues is the menace of stray cattle that sprawl the state’s roads. Apart from the fact that they create hazards for traffic and lead to accidents, stray cattle roaming the street presents a problem that has multiple aspects. A number of NGOs have takes steps to address the issue by setting up ‘Gaushalas’ where stray cattle is cared for, but that has done little to clear the streets of roaming cattle.
“A decade ago, we did not have this problem,” says Swati Shilkar, the Goa head of the NGO Dhyan Foundation. “The problem arose in part construction boom. People in Goa converted their cowshed into rooms which they could rent out to others. This was more profitable than cattle-rearing, so cows were abandoned. Over the years, this abandoned cattle reproduced and multiplied.” She also highlights that cows are forced to roam the streets in search of food as construction boom has reduced the area of grazing ground.
“Secondly, The desi cows do not give as much milk as jersey cows, but still, in olden days, people used to care for them out of love and sense of responsibility. But today’s younger generation is not as keen on keeping cows that will not yield milk. Also, owing to high prices of cattle food, it is difficult to provide fodder for the cattle. So, people choose to abandon the animals instead.” Swati started a Gaushala at Quepem. In 2013 with one cow, but today has around 400 cows in its two Gaushalas located at Quittala, Betul and Zambaulim
Activists say that the greatest hurdle is the availability of land, in addition to other problems. “We receive a lot of cases of injured cattle, and we treat the animals at our Gaushala in Valpoi,” says Hanumant Parab, who has been running ‘Jai Shree Ram Gosamvardhan Kendra’ since a decade. “We need a vehicle to carry the injured animals, plus, there are expanses of the medicines and salary of the veterinary doctor, but no financial support has come from the government. We rely mostly on donations, but they are not enough.”
Many a times cattle rescued from smugglers is also deposited by authorities at the Valpoi centre, and the managers of the facility face difficulties in supplying fodder for the rising number of animals. “We have been discussing the issue with the government for a long time. We had submitted a proposal asking that the government conduct a taluka-wise census of stray cattle, and make arrangements at taluka-level to care for these animals. However, action on the idea is still awaited,” says Parab.
Gaurav Yadav, who is a member of the Goa Animal Welfare Board also outlines, “According to a High Court order, the responsibility for managing stray cattle has been given to the village panchayats and municipalities. Secondly, there is a government scheme for cattle-management where people can form their won cattle-sheds and will be provided with funds to care for the animals.”
However, the problem of stray cattle is not being resolved despite having such a mechanism in place. “Well, there have been cases where people have stopped activists from picking up the cattle claiming that they own it,” says Charan Desai “Also, more political will is required on part of the authorities to act against the menace.”
