Crocs spotted in Balli lake; locals anxious

Team Herald

CANACONA: An uninvited guest in the form of a crocodile is seen sunbathing in the morning hours every day at the manmade lake at Balli close to Cuncolim police station.

Medha Mahendra Phal Desai, a resident staying at the edge of this artificial lake made by blocking the outflow of water for irrigation, stated that since one month this unwanted visitor has started showing up at the lake. The people staying close to this lake fear for their lives, of their children and domestic animals, as till now the coldblooded reptile has consumed two cows; a buffalo which escaped from the crocodile jaws later died.

Phal Desai feels that the crocodiles must have come from Salaulim River through irrigation canals.

She also stated that some neighbours feel that they are two or more crocodiles in the lake and requested the forest department to make arrangements to catch and shift them to Bondla Zoo; otherwise people might harm this creature as they feel it is a danger to have them for company.

In the morning between 8 am and 10 am the croc is spotted sunbathing in the dry portion of the lake as it needs to keep itself warm. Crocs don’t eat much and get hungry only once every two weeks; their life cycle ranges from 60 to 80 years and they are classified as highly endangered species in India. 

The crocodiles are mostly found in Cumbarjua canal where they are over 50 of them. Some stray crocodiles are also spotted at Chorao, Tivim, Quepem, Usgao and Cuncolim and this is the first time they are seen at this manmade lake at Balli. 

Commuters taking this road, stop to have a glimpse of the crocs whenever they come out to warm their body, in doing so, they park their vehicles haphazardly and obstruct the traffic.

Forest officials said they were informed about sighting of the croc over two months back and they have tried catching the croc by using a net but due to the large size of the lake it is nearly impossible to catch it. Also since the croc falls under Schedule-I category it cannot be caught in its natural habitat without the permission of the Chief Conservator of Forest, and still the permission is not granted, however it can be caught if it strays from its natural habitat and poses imminent danger to human life.