THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The animal husbandry department (AHD) has identified 170 hotspots across 14 districts where more than 10 incidents of stray dog bites have been reported on an average every month. Thiruvananthapuram tops in the state with 28 hotspots, while Palakkad comes a close second with 26, said the data released by the department ahead of the government’s proposed mass vaccination drive and ABC (animal birth control) programme to rein in the stray dog menace in the state.

Idukki and Kasaragod districts are at the bottom of the list, with just one and three hotspots, respectively. The local self-government department will launch the statewide vaccination drive from September 20. AHD Minister J Chinchu Rani will chair a meeting on Thursday to finalise the plans.A senior AHD official said the hotspots would be given priority for the vaccination drives and ABC programme.

“We need to prioritise these localities to contain the situation. Many local bodies have already launched vaccination drives and efforts are on to find temporary shelters to segregate dangerous stray dogs,” said the official.

However, the state government might find implementation of its proposals challenging as everything has to be done as per the guidelines and norms of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), said the official, adding, “ABC centres in particular should be equipped with all the facilities mandated by AWBI. Ensuring it won’t be easy for local bodies.”

As per a survey by the AHD, there were around 2.89 lakh stray dogs and 9 lakh pet animals in the state in 2019. Experts said the number might have gone up by 20 to 25 per cent in the past three years. Though the local self-government department is planning to carry out the ABC aggressively, lack of infrastructure will pose a major challenge in its efforts. Kerala has just 37 ABC centres at present that are partially or fully functional. The department is planning to set up 76 ABC centres to cover all 152 blocks.“Vaccinating stray dogs will be especially challenging,” said Dr S Nandakumar, vice-president of the Kerala Chapter of Indian Veterinary Association. 

Animal rights activists unhappy with state govt

Nandakumar said the government is planning to rope in community dog feeders and animal lovers who are ready to volunteer for the purpose. “Catching stray dogs, especially dangerous ones, will be tough and the government is ready to pay volunteers to do it. ABC centres should have operation theatres with ACs,” he said.

He said a multi-pronged approach having the cooperation of political parties, NGOs and others is necessary. Animal rights activists are unhappy with the way the government is taking decisions, especially its proposal to approach the Supreme Court seeking approval to kill rabid stray dogs.

“Killing is never a solution. And what is the definition of aggressive/ferocious dogs? No court will approve the government’s plea to kill stray dogs,” said activist and former AWBI member M N Jayachandran. Criticising the government, he said the state animal welfare board had not met even once since the stray dog issue was reported.

Noida: Peeved over the alleged non-payment of his dues worth over Rs 2.50 lakh, a construction contractor set a builder’s luxury Mercedes car in Noida on fire, officials said on Wednesday.

Contractor Ranveer (40) has been arrested. The incident had taken place outside the builder’s home on Monday and the episode was caught on a CCTV camera, Deputy Commissioner of Police Harish Chander said.

A footage of the episode showed contactor Ranveer on a road outside builder Ayush Chauhan’s house in the Sadarpur area under the Sector 39 police station limits during the daylight incident two days ago.

Ranveer had reached there on a motorcycle and wearing a helmet.

The Mercedes car of the builder was parked on the road and the contractor, without removing his helmet, went near it, poured some flammable liquid on it and then set it on fire, the footage showed.

“The contractor was arrested on Wednesday. He claimed a financial dispute with the builder because of which the contractor said he took this step,” DCP Chander said.

Chauhan had on Tuesday filed a complaint against Ranveer at the local police station, leading to his arrest on Wednesday. He was booked under the Indian Penal Code Section 435 (mischief by fire with intent to cause damage).

Officials said the builder had been hiring the contractor for work since 2018-2019.

The builder allegedly owed over Rs 2.50 lakh to the contractor for some tile work and this had led to arguments between them recently, the officials said.

When asked about the contractor’s claims, the DCP told PTI, “Whether any payment was due or the money has been paid to the contractor is part of inquiry. We have not received any complaint from the contractor but if we get it, we will probe the matter.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said police could have opened fire on violent BJP protesters during its march to the state secretariat, but the government exercised maximum restraint.

Banerjee also alleged that the saffron party brought in goons armed with bombs in trains from outside the state to foment trouble during its Nabanna Abhijan’ on Tuesday.

“Many police personnel were brutally attacked by the participants of that rally… Police could have opened fire, but our administration showed maximum restraint,” she said during an administrative meeting at Nimtouri in Purba Medinipur district.

The CM said the protest march inconvenienced commuters and traders, barely a few weeks ahead of Durga Puja, Bengal’s biggest festival.

“We have nothing against democratic and peaceful protests. But, the BJP and its supporters resorted to violence, vandalism and arson. They torched properties and instilled fear among people.

We won’t allow this. Arrests are being made, and law will take its own course,” she said.

Azamgarh (UP): A special court here on Wednesday awarded life sentence to former Samajwadi Party MLA Abhay Narain Patel and three others in a 24-year-old murder case.

The others convicted for the crime are Lal Bahadur, Lal Bihari and Harendra, Assistant Government Counsel Deepak Mishra said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each of the convicts, he said.

The incident had taken place on October 22, 1998 when one Santraj was shot dead by the convicts due to an old enmity.

An FIR was registered in this regard by the victim’s brother Ram Nayan Singh, a resident of Urdiha Nai Basti Kolwa village.

Jaipur: In a left-handed compliment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday suggested that he is quicker than the cheetah when it comes to evading serious issues.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader, who arrived here on a two-day Rajasthan trip, called the recent Varanasi court order in the Gyanvapi mosque- Shringar Gauri case a setback and said it went against the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

He also criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s move to conduct a survey of madrassas in the state.

Owaisi’s cheetah remark made in a lighter vein, he said — came when reporters asked the Hyderabad MP to comment on plans to reintroduce the fast big cat to the country.

Modi is set to release eight cheetahs being brought from Namibia into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on his birthday on September 17.

Owaisi said the prime minister moves faster than the cheetah when issues like inflation or unemployment are raised, his remark suggesting that Modi runs away from such matters.

When we talk about unemployment, Modi leaves even the cheetah behind. When we ask about China occupying our territory, Modi ji is quicker than the cheetah, he said. He is very quick in these matters, we are telling him to go slow.”

Wo bolne mein bahut tez hain, Owaisi said, implying that the PM can talk his way out of tricky situations.

I am saying all this in a lighter vein so that the UAPA is not invoked against me, he said, referring to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The eight cheetahs will arrive on a customised Boeing 747-400 aircraft from Namibia’s capital Windhoek and then flown to their new home in helicopters.

The AIMIM head denounced the recent Varanasi court order that rejected a plea by the Gyanvapi Masjid committee questioning the maintainability of the petition that sought daily worship of deities whose idols are located on the mosque’s outer wall.

The verdict is a setback. This will open up other such matters and could create a destabilizing effect, he said.

On the UP government decision to conduct surveys of privately-run madrassas, Owaisi said he has already called it a mini NRC , referring to the National Register of Citizens controversy.

Why are only unaided madrassas being surveyed? Why is there no survey of RSS schools, and the private and government schools, he said.

On the hijab row that erupted in Karnataka earlier this year, he said, “I believe that the hijab is a necessary religious practice for Muslims. It is our cultural right. If government schools are allowing other religious symbols, why is the hijab not being allowed?

If a woman is wearing it, she is wearing it on her head and not on her mind. If a girl wants to wear a hijab, why do you want to stop her,”he said.