Goemkarponn desk
PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed the House that an agreement would be struck with all municipalities and panchayat authorities, taking into account the incidents of accidents caused by stray cattle.
According to Sawant, unless the owner is killed in the accident, he does not come forward to establish a claim over the animals. “When cattle die, sometimes they come on the street and demand money from the owner of the vehicle,” he claimed.
According to the chief minister, cows registered under the Kamdhenu system can be easily identified thanks to their microchips. According to Sawant, a farmer will be banned if he is discovered to be abandoning his cattle—which were acquired through the Kamadhenu scheme—on the road.
Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai brought up the matter and called for strict action to stop similar accidents. Sardesai made the point that everybody engaged in an accident faces fines from the authorities.
He insisted that accountability be taken from the owner of the animals.
He called on NGOs, self-help groups, and youth to set up goshalas in their respective talukas, assuring them of 100 per cent financial support from the Animal Husbandry Department, with a maintenance cost of Rs 150 per head of cattle.
Sawant stressed that all talukas need to establish goshalas and sign MoUs with local Panchayats to manage stray cattle, transforming Goa into an accident-free zone. He advocated for running goshalas commercially by selling by-products and assured technical and scientific support for their viability.
Animal Husbandry Minister Nilkant Halarnkar encouraged citizens to note down the mobile number of the goshala to report stray cattle, mentioning that funds are available for shifting and maintenance costs. He urged NGOs to set up goshalas to enhance road safety and prevent fatalities, citing the success in Porvorim, where stray cattle have been managed effectively.
