PONDA: The government may have announced that Goa is the first state in India to achieve ‘Rabies-free’ status, but the Ponda market is plagued by the stray dog menace.
The residents of Ponda complain that stray dogs roaming freely in the market pose a serious threat to visitors.
It is pertinent to note that Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on the occasion of ‘World Rabies Day’ had announced that Goa became the first state in India to achieve ‘Rabies-free’ status.
They have called upon the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) to adopt safety measures such as vaccination and sterilization of strays and send them to dog shelters.
Social worker Premanand Gaude said, “The Ponda Market is visited by a large number of people as it is one of the major markets in the Taluka. Visitors are scared to walk in the market as stray dogs roam freely and at times turn aggressive. The municipal workers try to maintain the market clean but the visitors are faced with another menace of the waste scattered by these canines.”
Gaude said, “The mezzanine floor of the market complex houses several Fair Price Shops as several consumers visit these shops and here too stray dogs move freely. Fortunately so far no untoward incidents have been reported. The locals have demanded that PMC move the stray dogs to dog shelters since the market being a crowded area there is every possibility of people being attacked by dogs.
When O Heraldo tried to contact PMC chairperson Ritesh Naik for his comment, he was not reachable.
