50 stray dogs shot by Army personnel

By P. Oppili

CHENNAI, AUG. 10. Nearly 50 stray dogs have been shot dead in the premises of army residential quarters in Veteran Lines near Pallavaram in the last three days.

According to the Blue Cross, the ``operation elimination'' began on Wednesday morning and some of the agitated residents informed the organisation about the shooting down of stray dogs.

On an average, 15 dogs were killed every day by the Army personnel, the residents told this correspondent when he visited the spot on Friday evening. The operation began around 10 a.m. and continued for about three hours.

On the first day, the Blue Cross veterinarian, Dr. T. P. Sekar, along with Ms. Saroja, administrator, visited the spot and saw a few dead dogs being shifted in an army vehicle. But on seeing the Blue Cross vehicle, the Army men asked them to leave the premises.

One of the residents told this reporter that killing of stray dogs was a regular event, organised once in six months. Fearing the problem of being shifted out of the quarters, most of the residents kept quiet, without raising their voice of protest, they said.

When contacted, Mr. Chinnikrishna, vice-chairman, Blue Cross, said the organisation received similar complaints two years ago and the issue was taken up with Ms. Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.

After objections raised by her during 1999, a letter from Major- General Narendra Aul, Deputy Quartermaster General, Army Headquarters, New Delhi, dated July 3, 1999, said that ``the matter has been investigated. The incident pertains to a dog which had gone berserk, creating panic amongst the civilian population of the cantonment. On receiving frantic complaints, the health inspector was forced to act in haste to prevent rabid injuries''.

The letter clarified, ``Guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board are being adhered to in cantonments. Directives also exist to make available the Army's infrastructural facilities for sterilisation to animal welfare groups, whenever asked for''.

Despite the assurance from the Army Headquarters, the rules were once again thrown to the winds and the dogs were unnecessarily killed, the activists alleged.

Attempts to contact Col.Sunil Bali, the in-charge officer of the quarters, by this correspondent proved futile.

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Section  : Southern States
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