Expressing concern over non-set up of a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs), Member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi has addressed a letter to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary A K Mehta.
Ms Gandhi in a letter (accessed by UNI), has expressed that she has made written correspondences and also phoned to different Deputy Commissioners in the wake of a High Court order by the Chief Justice High Court asking for SPCAs (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) which are hospital shelters with police inspectors for anti cruelty work and confiscation of smuggled, badly treated, accident hit animals, to be set up immediately.
“The law and the order specifically stated that the SPCA has to be equipped with a hospital and ambulance,” she said in a letter adding that apart from Jammu, no district has made one – including Srinagar.
According to the laws of the GOI, she asserted that each district has to have one SPCA that includes animal welfare activists and NGOs from civil society as well and to be headed by the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner.
“Now the courts have been approached with petitions for contempt. In Jammu land has been found,” she added.
Having words of appreciation for the Assistant Commissioner (General), Jammu, Rakesh Dubey and the Jammu Deputy Commissioner, Anshul Garg, she said that they have not only done commendable work in getting the SPCA off the ground, but even more importantly, in trying to stop the huge smuggling of animals that is going on in Jammu.
“The situation is extremely bad but these two people have been very strict with the law and have given permissions only for legal animal transport,” she expressed in a letter.
Previously, she said that this was a cash cow for administrators but this is the first time she is seeing some kind of action being taken on smugglers.
“Is it possible for you to give a deadline for each district to identify land so that they can put up much needed infrastructure as this will benefit animals and people,” the MP concludes in a letter.
However, earlier on September 14, Assistant Commissioner (General), Jammu, Rakesh Dubey chaired a meeting and discussed the arrangements for establishment of animal shelters to be managed by Society for Prevention of Cruelty on Animals (SPCA).
Threadbare discussion was held regarding fundraising for SPCA, water boring and piped water connection along with electricity supply to animal shelters, installation of signboard of SPCA, planting of fruit and fodder plants, registration of horses and mules tagged and vaccinated by SPCA, engagement and training of border area youths as paravets to assist with SPCA Hospital, NGO and ‘Goushalla’ under BADP and membership charges were also discussed.
The ACG asked the concerned officials to ensure the proper arrangements of water and power at animal shelters for animals.