Goa Minister wants bison herd tranquillised, relocated

After a young woman was killed on Monday in a bison attack, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane demanded the tranquilisation and relocation of a herd of Indian bison or 'gaur' in Sattari sub-district.

The herd has so far gored two women to death in just over a month.

An enraged Rane said that unless a wild bison attacks a Forest Department official, it would not act promptly.

"It is a serious matter. Two women have died in two months in Sattari, after bison attacked them. The wild animals should be tranquillised and relocated as soon as possible, so that there is no more harm to human life in remote villages," Rane, also an MLA from the area, told IANS on Monday.

On Monday morning, 25-year-old Pujan Melekar of Melavli village died in the bison attack.

On June 6, 44-year-old Jyoti Gaonkar was gored to death in her cashew nut plantation in Kankire village.

"There is a herd of four to five bison moving in these villages. I am a wildlife lover myself. But they need to be relocated," Rane said.

He said he has sent a note to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on the issue.

Bison are entering Kankrie and thus endangering people's lives and causing hardships, Rane said.

The Minister said: "These are horrific incidents. The Forest Department should understand this and be sensitive to it. Until a bison attacks a departmental official, they will not understand it.

"This is the second such death and she was a young woman. This is not acceptable. People of Sattari will revolt if such incidents happen because of the negligent forest officials," the Minister said.

The 'gaur' is Goa's state animal, apart from being the official mascot of FC Goa football team.

Former Goa Forest Minister Ramesh Tawardkar had said that bison should be declared vermin and culled, but the proposal was widely criticised.

--IANS

maya/tsb