Between love and fear: India's stray dogs -dilemma

Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limit all rights reserved. The stray dog ​​problem and the lack of standard procedures have become a national disaster, which urgently demands action. (HT) Summary A report released before the Covid pandemic in 2018 bite an alarming 7.6 million to the dogs in 2018, but dropped to 1.7 million during the closure. The latest Supreme Court order on stray dogs is trying to strike a middle road between animal lovers and citizens who have been terrorized by their threat. This allows the stripes to be sterilized, vaccinated, dewormed and then released into their places, except those who are aggressive or rabid, who must remain in shelters. Public nutrition has been banned, although municipalities now have to set up designated nutritional zones. The immediate fallout showed how divided the issue became. At a public grievance meeting last week, Delhi chief minister of Delhi’s chief minister escaped when a man suddenly charged on her, blowing papers and screaming. Security personnel caught him in time. The attacker was identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji of Rajkot, described by his mother as an animal lover who was furious about the earlier decision of the court to remove stripes. The motive is still determined. But the fact that someone could travel hundreds of miles and try to attack the main minister of a state underlines the polarization around the issue of stray dogs. Yet this anger, both on the street and online, ignores a clear reality: Thousands of Indians die from dog bite every year. Ten thousand people are bitten daily, a staggering world record. Earlier, the court ordered that stripes in Delhi and NCR be removed within 6-8 weeks, a Herculean task for civil bodies with limited resources and even less enthusiasm. A day before Gupta’s attack, NDMC officials filed complaints after protesters vandalized that vehicles were used to get straw. How can those who oppose cruelty to animals become violent against fellow people who follow orders? I don’t like any species. At home we had a dog named ‘Nilu’, who lived with us for 13 years and was treated like a family member like a brother. Even in my childhood, the neighborhood streaks were honorary dogs. They were nourished, the responsibility of the entire community was, and they never attacked people. But cities have now become concrete jungles, neighborhood tires have weakened, and migration has redefined community life. Relationships of human animals have also changed. No one had a package tangled earlier that killed an adult. Social media is full of bowel videos of such attacks these days. From the capital Delhi to the smallest hamlets – puppies, monkeys, bulls and cows wander with a license to kill. The story of the under -inspector Richa in Ghaziabad shows the depth of the crisis: Her two -wheeler suddenly slipped as a stray dog ​​ran across her way. She was seriously injured and passed away later that night. The numbers are indeed sober. Those who opposed measures against straw places ignore a clear reality, where thousands of people die every year due to dog bite. A report released before the Covid pandemic showed that dogs bite in India annually touched an alarming 7.6 million in 2018, but dropped to 1.7 million during the lock. The number rose to 3.7 million again last year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 18,000-20,000 people die from rabies annually in India. India does not have an established local procedure or data to record it. The stray dog ​​problem and the lack of standard procedures have become a national disaster, which urgently demands action. And yet resist a powerful foyer. The stray dog ​​issue conveyed old political division. Political circles were surprised when members of the estranged Gandhi family, who have been in conflict for decades, spoke in their defense of Strays. After the death of Sanjay Gandhi in 1980, his widow Maneka Gandhi famously clashed with her mother -in -law Indira Gandhi and even formed her own party. Since then, Rajiv and Sanjay’s families have rarely agreed on anything. Yet the new generation has now closed ranks on this one issue. Their intentions may be benevolent, but the other reality is just as sharp: Thousands of unhappy citizens die from dog bite every year, while governments remain paralyzed between mighty lobby and the land realities. Animals need space to live with their natural instincts. But people also deserve the right to live without the fear of avoidable violence. Shashi Shekhar is editor -in -chief, Hindustan. Views are personal. Catch all the business news, market news, news reports and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download the Mint News app to get daily market updates. More Topics #india #Government Read Next Story