: Aunt-Niece Duo Revive 5 Filthy Ponds to Bring Buffaloes Back to Their Resting Spots #IndiaNEWS #Environment One day in the summer of 2020, Harshada Kerkar from Saligao, Goa, noticed two wounded and

Aunt-Niece Duo Revive 5 Filthy Ponds to Bring Buffaloes Back to Their Resting Spots #IndiaNEWS #Environment
One day in the summer of 2020, Harshada Kerkar from Saligao, Goa, noticed two wounded and infected buffaloes across the street from her window. The sight was especially painful to the 55-year-old artist, who has always held a special affection towards buffaloes and cows. For the last 30 years, she has watched the animals come to the pond near her house to take a dip in the hot summers. But the number had since dwindled, and the animals were often diseased, and had swollen knees due to infections.
Her search for the owners took her far and wide, but was eventually futile. She knew the problem was beyond only injured buffaloes in need of medical attention.
“There are around 1,500 water ponds in the village. These ponds serve as a safe habitat for buffaloes, especially during the summer, as the animals come here to seek respite from the heat. However, many of these ponds are in poor condition, owing to the waste thrown in by locals. In a few instances, the sewage is also directed to them. Some have dried up and are filled with debris. All these have become a cause of infection among the buffaloes,??? Harshada tells The Better India.
A lack of coexistence
Cleaning the pond
She says in March, she learned that three buffaloes had been poisoned to death. “People have foolishly restricted access to these animals, and deprived them of their natural habitat. At times, there are concrete borders or fencing around the ponds, making them inaccessible. Killing the animals is another way of refusing to share natural resources,??? she adds.
Harshada shared her helplessness with friends, and her niece Sharada, who is a community development professional. Sharada roped in various community members, and the aunt and niece collected funds to revive five ponds in the village. The duo has now also identified an additional eight ponds for which work will begin soon.
“Harshada cares deeply for cows and buffaloes, and often says she understands their emotions. On many occasions, I have seen her sketching the buffaloes in the field from her window,??? says Sharada (28). She agrees with her aunt’s concerns about the state of the animals. “Grazing pastures for buffaloes have reduced. Animals have to walk long distances to take a dip, and there are hardly any ponds with water left,??? she adds.
The COVID-19 pandemic allowed Sharada to join her aunt in saving the buffaloes. “We discussed the matter with our friends and neighbours in the community to clean up the pond in front of our house. Fortunately, everyone agreed,??? she says, adding that people came forward to donate money, provide expert advice on conservation, help in the clean up, and help out in various ways to revive the pond.

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