The badly-lit interior roads coupled with black buffaloes or cows which cannot be easily spotted in the dipper headlights of vehicles till one comes too close, is a sure-fire recipe for accidents. Many a precious life has been lost in this manner.
Numerous petitions/ complaints have been made to local authorities and the government to tackle this menace on a war-footing. But no action is forthcoming. The government’s plans of having cattle-pounds and transporting the cattle to distant places are all on paper. No one is really interested in solving this problem.
The co called “gau-rakshaks” have no pity on these poor animals who feed on plastic and roadside garbage. Some months back the government had come with yet another grandiose plan of assigning the temple authorities, who have surplus land, to accommodate these stray cattle. This plan is obviously not put into action otherwise we would not have seen this menace increasing day by day.
If the government is really serious of doing something, the plan is very simple. Assign a toll-free number to the public so that whenever they spot stray cattle squatted on the roads they can call this number. Keep cattle carrying vehicles, separately in North and South Goa with man-power, so that they
can attend to the calls and take away the stray cattle. Maintain special yards on government property, to shelter these animals where they can live with dignity with enough food. In other words, this would be an orphanage for stray animals.
Impose heavy fines on the owners, if any, who come to claim them, which will deter them to leave their animals to stray for days and months.
I do not think this will cost the government too much and a budget allocation can be made for same. It is only a matter of priorities. This way precious Goan lives will be saved both of humans and of animals. If the government believes in the slogan ‘Safety First’ something will be done soon to put an end to this menace.
