Civic body assures to find permanent solution within 2 months
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Goa’s incessant rains make most roads unmotorable inconveniencing motorists and often leading to accidents. In Mapusa, this problem is now compounded by stray cattle.
Large herds of bovines roam the streets unchallenged posing grave danger to motorists, particularly to two-wheeler riders. Quite often, it’s a Herculean task maneuvering cattle squatting in the middle of the roads on the highways.
Just last week, a bovine was killed along the NH17 at Carrasvaddo, allegedly by a speeding vehicle. The incident went unnoticed and even unreported in the media.
The scourge of stray cattle is not confined to city roads only but is also widespread on village roads. Of late, a large number of stray cattle has descended on various streets in different parts of Mapusa.
Stray cattle can be seen roaming in and around the city much to the chagrin of commuters. Many blamed the owners for letting the cattle loose instead of taking them to a grazing spot away from the roadside.
“Where are the open spaces left in the State? As per the code of communidade, some land has to be reserved for grazing. But the same land has been converted into plots or sold to real estate sharks,” said Mahesh Rane, a resident of Khorlim, Mapusa.
Acting on the direction of the courts, some years back the government had come out with a decision directing all civic bodies and panchayats to erect a cattle pound and to penalize owners of the
stray cattle.
Some municipalities and panchayats did make an effort to establish cattle pounds but for some reason or the other, the decision lost steam
mid-way.
“As usual the government comes out with a host of directions but fails to monitor the situation on the ground,” Rane said.
He said the government has a scheme for farmers to
buy hybrid.
“If the government comes out with a scheme for the local cattle with certain restrictions, people will not let them loose and keep them safely at home,” Rane opined.
The city fathers in Mapusa had passed a resolution to entrust the seizure and taking care of the stray cattle to a gau shala. However, the council decision got held up due to the high cost factor involved in taking care of the cattle.
“We all are unanimous on the issue of outsourcing the stray cattle issue. We are in touch with the animal husbandry department and some gau shalas too. In another two months we will be able to find a concrete solution to the issue,” said Ryan Braganza, Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council.
The high hopes also derive from the fact that in the recent meeting the Chief Minister has assured the council to offer government assistance to tackle the issue.
Sources said the CM has offered to provide 80 per cent financial assistance form the government side while the remaining 20 percent would be borne by the council for the upkeep of the stray cattle.
