Stray cattle loitering and lying lazily in the middle of the roads, has indeed become a very serious problem all over Goa and the earlier the problem is addressed the better it is for all – the government, panchayats and citizens.

It seems the cattle are no longer afraid of oncoming vehicles and are often seen moving gingerly on the roads quite oblivious to all the honking and screeching of tyres of the vehicles.

The problem seems to intensify during the night and at spots where there are no street lights and such situations often become the catalyst for an accident.

At several places in Goa, the cattle are seen enjoying a siesta by squatting on the roads, many a time, occupying the entire breadth of the road as is seen in the photo taken along the busy Old Goa – Ponda highway.

Unfortunately, with overcrowded roads and unlimited vehicles, these stray cattle do not only obstruct the smooth flow of traffic on the highway and internal roads, but can also be the cause of major accidents, that could be hazardous for man, animal and machine.

This is a man-made problem as the cattle have very little green grass to feed on and open space to move on. Hence they feed on the garbage from over-flowing garbage bins and move on the roads instead of the fields. The government needs to look into the problem with all the seriousness it deserves and take necessary steps to make our roads free from stray cattle.

Sadly, the owners too display a careless attitude.