Order to push strays out of city: SPCA seeks Maneka’s intervention
Strongly opposing the orders of chief secretary, Alok Ranjan, directing district administration to push stray animals and illegal dairies out of the city limits, members of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) — an animal welfare organisation — have approached union minister and animal rights’ activist, Maneka Gandhi for immediate intervention.
SPCA activists and animal lovers consider the order ‘inappropriate’ and said it was a “violation of the PCA (prevention of cruelty to animals) Act”.
An excerpt from the mail shot by an SPCA member, Kavita Dass to union minister Maneka Gandhi reads: “I wish to bring to your notice that an order has been passed by the chief secretary of UP to remove all stray animals (cows, bulls, dogs) from the city of Lucknow. The scanned copy of the newspaper article dated April 21 is attached herewith.”
“Stray animal like dogs cannot be removed from their territories, the (PCA) Act says,” said Kavita Dass, an avid animal lover.
Dass added that dogs’ relocation was also prohibited under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Dog Rules 2001, as the relocation could make them more aggressive.
“It will result in more dog bites and human-animal conflicts,” she said.
SPCA’s reaction came soon after the orders of the CS, passed on April 19, in which he has directed district magistrates across the state to shove stray animals and illegal dairies out of the city limits, within a span of three months.
The order by the CS, however, also mentions the high court’s order dated December 4, 2015.
It states that the order has been passed in compliance with the court’s order. The order further says that Nagar Nigam, development authorities and other government agencies would survey various areas to ensure that no illegal dairies are operational.
In her correspondence, Dass has asked union minister Maneka Gandhi to speak to the chief secretary to exempt dogs from the entire drive as it would make them more aggressive. “In the state capital, the sterilisation drives for dogs are running successfully. It is to request you to kindly discuss this matter with the chief secretary and disallow removal of community dogs from the city,” mentioned the mail.