The Hindu 04.10.2010
“MCD, NDMC torturing dogs in the name of Games”
Staff Reporter
“Removing dogs from their territories is an illegal act and a criminal offence”
“MCD vehicles picking up even sterilised dogs and sending them to undisclosed destinations”
NEW DELHI: Animal lovers and organisations working for their welfare are protesting against civic agencies in the Capital for violating animal protection laws in the name of the Commonwealth Games.
“State agencies including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) have being torturing hapless street dogs in the city in the name of the Games. Removing dogs from their territories is an illegal act and a criminal offence. Non-government organisations have offered to help in the picking up and rehabilitation of stray dogs till the Games are over, but both the municipal agencies are picking up dogs on their own (including sterilised dogs which is clearly against the law) and dumping them in alien territories where they are not welcomed by other dogs who are territorial in nature,” said animal lover Rukmini Sekhar.
She said that most often we are completely unaware of the fate of the dogs after they are picked up. “Both the MCD and the NDMC officials have been denying this ill treatment of dogs. While human rights violations like the labourers who are injured, neglected or have died are highlighted by the media, there is a simultaneous, subterranean activity of untold cruelty being carried out against the poor street animals of Delhi,” added Ms. Sekhar.
An animal lover, Javed Iqbal Shah said: “In the run-up to the preparations for the Games under the pretext of cleaning up the city a massive wave of cruelty and mindless, inhuman dislocation of Delhi ‘s stray dogs is currently under way by civic agencies like the MCD and the NDMC. All this in a despondent bid to conjure a surreal and jingoistic image of the city just for a few days.”
“Jeopardising animal birth control efforts”
Lawyer and animal rights activist Anjali Sharma added: “In order to pretend that we are that which we are not, it is criminal for the agencies to jeopardize and put into quandary Delhi’s animal birth control and rabies control endeavour. This also in spite of the fact that quite a few non-government organisations have and are already working to help the civic authorities to resolve the situation by taking temporary custody of the animals for their eventual restoration into their original habitat.”
There are reports about missing stray dogs, and new and strange dogs appearing in territories on the outskirts of Delhi. There are also several persons who are willing to vouch that the MCD vehicles are picking up even sterilised dogs and speeding them away to undisclosed destinations, noted a release issued by a group of animal lovers.
