There was a time when cattle and dogs were part of families in the State. While dog is still considered to be man’s best friend, the strays, are making people think otherwise. The menace of stray dogs and cattle is slowly getting out of hand in Goa. Ponda taluka is no different.
Efforts, both by government agencies and private bodies, are not sufficient to control this menace which is gradually on the rise. The number of stray cattle on the roads is causing so many accidents some of which have cut short the lives of humans.
The stray dogs are becoming a threat to people, especially pedestrians who prefer to walk for shopping or stretch their legs for an exercise. When these stray dogs are hungry, there are incidents reported that they come and bitten humans who are forced to take injections to keep away rabies. The school going children are often the dogs’ target because they carry tiffin boxes when going for classes and the smell often attract these strays.
Nowadays cattle (strays) that have been abandoned by their owners are using the streets as their resting place.
Stray cattle are one of the causes of accidents on the highways. In one accident in the recent past eight cattle were killed at Dharbandora by speeding vehicles. The drivers just run away because of the fear they may be caught and asked to pay for the cattle.
Herds of cattle are also blocking the Highway Road at Farmagudi Circle, Kavlem, Borim, Bandora, Bethora, Marcaim and many villages in Ponda.
Last month a local died on the spot when his bike hit a herd of cattle at Marcaim. Some locals say it is easier to face water shortage than to face the menace of strays in Ponda.
According to BDO sources, although government had formed a scheme in 2013 to impound the stray cattle and to built cattle sheds in each panchayat, only Shiroda has taken the initiative and constructed a shed for the strays.
The state government provides funds to panchayats to built cattle sheds. With the exception of Shiroda panchayat, the other bodies in Ponda taluka complain they cannot find land to build these sheds which results in the strays occupying the roads. The stray dogs are seen everywhere – markets, gardens and even in the residences.
Tulshidas Naik from Bandora says that government should set up one huge cattle pound and catch the strays and put them in the shed.
“Government should provide proper space for the cattle to move around. They should also give them food and should appoint caretakers. All panchayats should contribute some fund towards building a common shelter in one place as everyone is facing the same menace of stray cattle. Dogs should also be taken care of in a similar way,” said Naik.
“These centres should have the facility of sterilisation for the stray dogs. Arrangements should also be made with the hotels and residences to collect the wasted food and supplied to these centres,” he added.
