I keep writing about an illegal project coming up on the road before the Green Rosary School in Dona Paula, a bus stand for tourists without any approvals on record. Apart from the many people who are facing and will face hazards because of this ill planned project there are some victims without voices.
The illegal project has destroyed a safe haven for many street dogs. These dogs, unlike other unfortunate strays, were almost domesticated. They lived in a kind of a quarry and were fed and taken care of by my neighbour. The quarry could accommodate around 57 dogs which were vaccinated by animal shelter personnel. Payments were made to a private shelter company to provide all necessary medical treatment, injections, amputation etc. They used to get water from a natural pool of this ongoing illegal tourism project of run-off water that used to form. Now all this is gone. Their home has been destroyed. The land has been levelled. No easy access to drinking water any more. Post rains, this will become a critical problem.
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Apart from the plight of these innocent victims there is a fear that more severe accidents might be taking place if these displaced stray dogs take to the street and are attacked by other street dogs in territory battles having no proper master.
The Corporation of The City of Panjim (CCP), Panchayat and Animal Welfare Department, have not been able to control the dog population. Sterilisation drives and welfare of street animals seems to be totally done by kind hearted animal lovers nowadays. But their efforts should be assisted, not destroyed. Especially by illegal construction that is not even being done for or with the blessings of the locals!
