PONDA: The rescue of an aged cow from a roadside trench earlier this week has once again brought to the fore Ponda’s never-ending problems with stray cattle on the taluka’s busy roads and highways.
Local demands to remedy the situation — prominent among these being the call to shift all stray bovines to gaushalas — have largely fallen on deaf ears despite the matter being frequently raised at gram sabhas.
Some semblance of redressal seems to be forthcoming only from the Curti-Khandepar Panchayat, which has entered into an agreement with a gaushala to which stray cattle within its jurisdiction are shifted.
Kavlem, on the other hand, continues to grapple with the menace. Residents say stray cattle are often spotted sitting right in the middle of busy interior roads and highway bypasses, particularly on blind curves. They not only take several motorists by surprise but also pose great risk of fatalities.
Recently, three bovines were seriously injured on the national highway at Curti after a vehicle crashed into them. The same spot had previously witnessed six cattle deaths and some injuries under similar circumstances.
Sanket Narvekar, a resident of Ponda who has been working towards rescuing and rehabilitating stray animals for the past 15 years, says despite the court directions, many panchayats in the taluka have failed to set up cattle sheds or shift herds of stray cattle to gaushalas.
“There are several operational gaushalas in Goa with which the local bodies should tie up to rehabilitate stray as well as undernourished cattle. It will be a win-win for both road users and the helpless animals themselves,” he said.
Narvekar also called for dairy farmers to ensure that their cattle are not allowed to amble on roads and highways.
“Several cattle have died on our roads by night as they are usually run over by heavy vehicles that frequent the stretch. Dairy farmers should shoulder some responsibility to keep their herds safe and ensure cattle-free roads,” he said.
