No medicare at night for animals
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — Does any eventuality wait for a particular time to happen? Yes, if one is to believe the lack of emergency night service at any of the two major animal rights organisations in the city — The Society for Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (SPCA) and the People for Animals (PFA).

Both these organisations keep making tall claims of providing excellent care to animals. However, neither of the two is able to provide any emergency or medicare facility to injured or sick animals. The animals, in the absence of such a facility could die if these develop a health related problem or get involved in a mishap between 5 pm and 9 am.

"Nobody picks up the phone at any of the two offices after 5 pm. If it is picked up at all, those attending to it give a tailor-made answer that they don't provide any service for rescue of animals between 5 pm and 9 am," said a number of residents who contacted The Tribune. "Does it mean that they won't attend to an injured animal or the one facing death on any account? If it is so, then what is the utility of such organisations?" said one of them requesting anonymity. They demanded that round-the-clock emergency services for animals should be provided by these organisations.

Inquiries made by the TNS revealed that the allegations of these organisations not responding to people's calls after 5 pm were not baseless. When this correspondent, posing as an ordinary citizen called up the SPCA Hospital (phone 696450) and said rescue facilities were required for a sick and injured animal lying opposite the office of The Tribune, the official attending the phone said, "Yeh to subah hi hoga, hamare paas night service nahin hai." As far as the PFA's response was concerned, nobody picked up the phone (742095) at its office when this correspondent called up at around 8 pm today. The SPCA President, Mr Jasbir Ralhan, was not available for comments. Somebody speaking from the residence of Ms Payal Sodhi, the PFA head, said, "She is out of station and is likely to come back tomorrow. So, you call up then."

Anti-demolition drive picks up
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Nov 25 — The movement against removal of hedges and fences launched by several non-government organisations and sector associations in the township has gathered momentum and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) finds itself in difficulty in this regard.

More than 2,000 persons will hold a protest rally in Sector 10 on Saturday, where Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, MP from Ambala, and senior leaders of the BJP will be present.

Many houses in the town are below the road level and rain water damages these. Roads get water-logged due to inaequate sewerage and water enters houses. When hedges and fences are removed and road berms are lowered to match the approach roads, the rain water will freely enter houses.

Sources in the HUDA have acknowledged this topographical defect in certain areas after a recent site inspection. Reliable sources in the HUDA feel that removal of fences and hedges will compound the problem of water-logging and subsequent flow into houses.

Residents have urged the HUDA to revise its policy regarding hedges and fences.