Team Herald

Mapusa: Road users in Siolim are frustrated with the menace of stray cattle that have taken over the village, causing traffic congestion and accidents on a daily basis.

The herds of cows and buffaloes, which seem to be multiplying on the streets, going by the young calves in tow, were once owned by the villagers, but have since been abandoned. They are now

posing a major safety risk to commuters.

Being a coastal village, with several popular restaurants and pubs, Siolim attracts foreign as well as domestic tourists. The abandoned cattle lounge in the middle of traffic, soil the already-potholed streets and chase each other when they get spooked, hampering the smooth movement of vehicles, especially at the busy Theatre and Church junction in the village.

There are around 30 to 40 stray cattle which roam free on the main Marna Siolim road. Along with the cattle, the dogs that chase them also cause problems for commuters.

“We cannot call them stray cattle because these animals are owned by the villagers, who have now stopped taking care of them due to the non-cultivation of fields for the past several years. Either their owners should take them back, or the cattle should be impounded. The

panchayat should come

up with a concrete solution. This issue was

earlier raised in the gram sabha and the local

body had assured to take action,” a local, Nitin Naik told Herald.