PONDA: Even as the locals in Ponda have been demanding the village panchayats to implement the High Court order for taking action on stray cattle menace, the BDO officials at Ponda said out of 19 village panchayats, only four have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with various gaushalas (cow shelters) and NGOs to clear stray cattle from their area.
The High Court (HC) had directed the panchayats to clear stray cattle from the roads by either signing MoUs with gaushalas or establishing their own cattle pound. However, only four panchayats have signed MoUs — Curti-Khandepar, Tivre-Orgao, Veling Priol Cuncoliem, and Vere Vagurme.
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Seven panchayats have established their own cattle pounds, however, many of them have failed to take care of stray cattle which are roaming on road. The cattle pounds are there only for namesake.
Six panchayats have neither signed MoU nor established their own cattle pound to take care of stray cattle.
Curti-Khandepar Sarpanch Naved Tahsildar said after signing the MoU with Bicholim-based gaushalas, so far 300 such stray cattle from his panchayat have been relocated. He said other panchayats do the same for solving the cattle issue.
The stray cattle in Ponda cause accidents on road. Besides, in absence of proper grazing ground, these cattle wander in search of food by the roadsides and sometimes even fall sick eating the waste food dumped in polythene bags.
Animal lover Sanket Narvekar, who works for the welfare of stray cattle, said all panchayats should implement the HC order for proper care of these animals.
Meanwhile, the locals at Ponda KTC bus stand said a pregnant stray cow was found to be in pain due to pain in its hoof caused by infection. They demanded that either Bandora Panchayat or NGOs help should step in to help the animal.
