Mapusa, June 25: Farmers under the banner of t he Shri Dev Bodgeshwar Shetkari Samiti have submitted an urgent representation to the Mapusa Municipal Council, seeking immediate intervention to tackle the growing menace of stray cattle damaging vegetable crops and paddy fields in Morod and Bodgini, opposite the Bodgeshwar Temple in Mapusa.

In the complaint submitted on June 23, 2026, the farmers stated that stray cattle frequently enter their fields, destroying standing crops and causing substantial financial losses. They said the recurring damage has severely affected the livelihoods of local farmers and poses a threat to food security.

The representation noted that despite farmers taking measures to protect their fields, the problem continues to worsen, making immediate action by the municipal authorities essential.

The farmers have urged the Municipal Council to implement measures under the Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme, 2013, and the Cattle Trespass Act, 1871. Their key demands include:

Launching a comprehensive drive to capture and manage stray cattle.

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a registered local gaushala or animal shelter to house impounded cattle.

Strictly enforcing existing laws and penalising owners who abandon cattle or allow them to roam freely.

The memorandum states that collaboration with a registered gaushala would provide a humane and long-term solution while ensuring the safety of residents, protecting agricultural lands, and safeguarding the welfare of the animals.

The representation has been signed by 15 farmers, who have appealed to the Mapusa Municipal Council to take prompt action to address the issue before further crop losses occur.