NT Reporter Panaji
BJP MLAs Krishna Salkar and Michael Lobo raised the issue of the growing stray dog menace in the state, urging the government to act swiftly.
Vasco MLA Salkar said residents were living in fear of dog bites.
“It’s scary to even walk on the roads. We urgently need regular sterilisation camps in every constituency,” he said.
Calangute MLA Lobo said that despite budgetary allocations to the animal husbandry department, the situation had worsened.
“Though the budget provides funds, we have failed to see any results on the ground. If this continues, the tourism department cannot continue to boast about offering pristine beaches while turning a blind eye to dogs roaming freely,” he said.
Lobo also raised the issue of shortage of veterinary infrastructure.
“It’s been five years and we still don’t have a proper veterinary hospital to care for cattle. There are only a handful of organisations caring for stray animals in distress,” he said.
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral said that while the government had delivered major infrastructure projects, the problem of stray animals remained unresolved.
“Green corridors for stray animals along major highways, as proposed in the budget, must be implemented at the earliest,” he said.
Cabral criticised local bodies for not enforcing control measures effectively.
“Schemes alone won’t solve the problem. The government must step in to verify whether these schemes are being implemented and why they have failed,” he said.
