Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has allowed the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department to implement the amended Stray Cattle Management Scheme and to file a status report whether the scheme was duly implemented and whether there is any improvement regards to protection of stray cattle on roads in the State.
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The court has also asked the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Director of Municipal Administration and Director of Panchayats to file status reports during the next hearing fixed on November 22.
The status report to be filed by the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services can also make further suggestions to redress this issue from the experience gained in the meantime, the court said.
Hearing the writ petition filed by Kabir Gama Pinto, the division bench comprising Justice Mahesh S Sonak and Justice M S Jawalkar directed the concerned officials/authorities to act in terms of the measures decided to be adopted during the meeting convened by the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services early this month.
The measures/action plan adopted during the meeting and placed on record were identification of 10 hot spots each in North Goa district and South Goa district, wherein stray cattle are regularly seen blocking the national, State and district roads.
These hot spots tentatively listed would be confirmed by the Director of Panchayats and Director of Municipal Administration and the respective village panchayats and municipal councils would in turn be directed to remove the stray cattle from the national, State and district roads, after having MoUs with the Gaushalas or establishing their own cattle pounds and failing which action on lines of ‘Remiss of Duty’ would be initiated against the defaulting village panchayats and municipal councils.
The 10 hot spots tentatively identified for North Goa district are Bambolim (GMC), Chimbel junction, Old Goa-Corlim, Banastarim, Marcel, Latabarcem-Kasarpal junction, Socorro, Porvorim (JMJ Hospital), Mapusa (Karaswada Junction); Assonora and Pernem (Dhargal).
Similarly, 10 hot spots tentatively identified for South Goa district are two places in Canacona, Chinchinim, Dabolim Airport, Ponda, Khandepar, Usgao Tisk, Farmagudi, Mollem and Borim-Shiroda.
The respective local bodies shall be responsible to remove the stray cattle from the above hot spots with the assistance of the police and the Gaushalas.
The local bodies would be responsible to identify suitable land for housing these stray cattle.
The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services department would play the role as a facilitator to provide funds under the amended Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme, 2013. However, eventually the local bodies would also be responsible to set up their respective cattle pounds (block wise) and make provisions/budget allocations to maintain their cattle pounds.
The Animal Husbandry department will clear all applications for grants under the Stray Cattle Management Scheme within 30 days.
The meeting had also resolved that the Secretary (Urban Development) and Secretary (Panchayats) would be the nodal officers.
Following suggestion by amicus curiae John Abreu Lobo, the court posted the matter for next hearing on November 22.
