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…