A public hearing on the stray dog menace in the city turned into a virtual dogfight between animal rights activists and civic officials here in Hyderabad. At one point, Lok Sabha MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi lost her cool and told an IPS officer: ‘Behave yourself ’.
On Monday, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), taking suo motu notice of the spurt in stray dog bite cases in the city, called all stake-holders for a public hearing to thrash out a solution. Maneka fired the first salvo alleging Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials were killing strays instead of sterilising and vaccinating them. “They are secretly killing dogs. There have been instances where dog hides were sent illegally to the US by MCH officials. Following this, the US Congress banned dog skin from India,” Maneka Gandhi informed SHRC chairperson B Subhashan Reddy.
From there, Amala Akkineni of Blue Cross took over and blamed the media for hitting the panic button. She claimed that the GHMC dog section personnel did not have expertise even to use a net. At this point, GHMC chief veterinary officer P Venkateshwar Reddy interjected and questioned the ‘expertise’ of Blue Cross.
GHMC additional commissioner (health and sanitation) R Ram Mohan Rao chipped in and said, if the civic body really had intended to kill stray dogs, it could eliminate them within two months. “In the past six years, 60,000 dogs were sterilised. We only kill rabid dogs,” he clarified. He also took on Ahmedabad-based Animal Health Foundation, contracted by GHMC for a sterilisation programme. He said the NGO, with a malafide intention, was spreading canards about non-cooperation from civic officials. When Venkateshwar Reddy got up to speak again, the chairperson, in a lighter vein, asked him to have a cool drink and relax.
Cyberabad deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (crimes) E Damodar said there was lack of awareness among people as well as GHMC officials. While the NGOs were suggesting solutions and waxing eloquently, it would be better if Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) conduct research on possible solutions. That was enough for Maneka Gandhi to go ballistic. “I will not accept the DCP’s remarks. I will listen to you, but not in this tone. Behave yourself and speak properly. How dare you talk like that?” she thundered.
Even as the SHRC chief was trying to bring the situation under control, Gandhi went on. “Who do you think we are? This is stupid, how can CCMB conduct research on this issue,” she argued.
The public hearing concluded without throwing up a solution.
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