Opposition is growing to the Animal Rescue Centre inCanacona, which is located very close to the Chapoli Dam.
Although the intention of the centre is commendable, thenuisance created due to its proximity to the dam is unacceptable, locals fromthe area said.
Many carcasses of animals find their way into the waters ofthe dam thereby polluting the water.
“Stray dogs and birds are the main culprits. They carry thecarcasses of dogs and cats and drop them in the waters of the dam,” localssaid.
Since water from the Chapoli dam is used for publicconsumption locals have complained about the nuisance and want the authoritiesto shift the Animal Rescue Centre away from the dam.
“We have no objection to the Animal Rescue Centre. But itmust be immediately shifted to another away from the dam. I will speak to theconcerned authorities in the matter,” Mahesh Raikar, Sarpanch of Chapolim said.
He further disclosed that the centre was not registered withthe Shristall Village Panchayat and therefore it was totally illegal.
Speaking to The Goan on condition of anonymity aveterinarian said that he wasn’t aware if the Centre was registered or not.
According to the Canacona Community Health Officer, VinodNaik cases of vector borne disease were reported at the hospital, recently. Heattributed the cause of the disease to drinking of contaminated water.
“As it is we get untreated water from the Chapolim Dam inabsence of a chemist. The location of the Animal Rescue Centre close to the dammakes the matter worse,” said Dilip Kenkare, former Chairperson of CMC.
According to Janie O'Connor, in charge of the Animal RescueCentre, the centre was established in 2005, as a direct response to the suddenspurt in stray animals in the area and the methods in which strays wereannually culled.
“Since 2005 thousands of dogs and cats have been sterilizedand vaccinated, dramatically reducing the number of strays and improving theircondition,” she said.
Initially funds were raised to run a short term camp tosterilize and vaccinate as many animals as possible within a short time. Thisalso brought in awareness amongst the locals, she added.
The Canacona residents said that they were not against theCentre by itself. They want that the location of the Centre should be changed.The Centre should be allocated a place away from the Chapolim Dam, the localssaid.
