On Tuesday, July 2, a buffalo calf was knocked down by an unknown vehicle on the National Highway 66 at Merces. The calf lay dead by the roadside for more than 36 hours before being cleared by some authority (cannot confirm which department/agency).
The movement of domesticated stray cattle has become a big menace for motorists across Goa. I commend O Heraldo for publishing photographs several times to highlight the issue. Even the Chief Minister PramodSawant recently acknowledged that 25% of road accidents are due to the presence of stray cattle on the road. However, no concrete measures can be seen being taken to stop this menace.
The calf that died in the July 2 accident, had a tag pinned to its ear (see photo). One wonders what information this tag with a barcode provides. More than often the stray cattle squatting on the roads have these tags. Can the authorities then not identify the owners of the cattle by this barcoded tag? If yes, then the government should take stern action against the owners of these cattle for letting them on the roads and impose hefty fines for endangering human lives.
And, if it cannot provide the vital information regarding their whereabouts then stop wasting public money on a useless technology. Instead use the same money to ensure that every cattle is picked from the road and relocated to cowshed and taken care. Let there be new sources of employment for a few.
