M A I L B A G

Chautala’s one year in office

THIS refers to Mr Hari Jaisingh's article, "Chautala's one year in office", carried on July 28. There is no doubt that every politician makes false promises before coming to power. It has rightly been said that the Haryana government has constantly lived under the shadow of "Aya Ram Gaya Ram" politics. In spite of this, the Chautala government has completed one year in office. It looks very strange today.

Politics is no longer seen as a means to serve the people and the nation. It has become a big business. Every leader these days comes to power to fulfill his lust for money. He never bothers to fulfill the promises he has made.

What about crime? It is Ministers who give shelter to criminals, resulting in these anti-social elements becoming big operators.

SUNIL KAPOOR
Yamunanagar

NEPOTISM IN HARYANA: The malice of nepotism can be witnessed in its most blatant form in Haryana, where men of doubtful integrity hold key positions. Their only qualification is their caste affiliation and loyalty to ruling group. These elements have no regard for laws and regulations tread over the path of justice and fairplay and make a mockery of the system. They amass wealth, create an environment of hatred, raise false slogans and do practically nothing to alleviate the poverty of the masses.

HARI SINGH
Kheri Jat (Jhajjar)

Dog population

On and after the birth of the one-billionth Indian, the focus on the human number and the available resources seems unrealistic without taking into consideration the ever-increasing animal population. Animals are as consumer of grains as are the humans, and both can turn the land of plenty into a land of scanty.

The number of stray dogs and pets (25 millions at present) is now spiralling out of control and has reached crisis point. The explosive dog population in India has never been a matter of concern despite the known fact that canine community always holds a potential threat of rabies (which permits no treatment) to one and all. The neglect of this recoils on public health.

The strict ban on dog killing, the ever-increasing dog population and the unproven approach to controlling its population have created a condition detrimental to public good and food resources. Animal welfare groups have failed to find ways and means to save us from stray dogs.

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is callously innocent of the priorities needed for the effective implementation of Animal Birth Control Programme (ABC). This programme has been entrusted to the local animal welfare organisations, especially the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs), which are known to be sustaining on paltry funds. These bodies are in no way proficient and equipped to take up this elaborate and gigantic programme.

The equation between dog sterilisation and dog population explosion can never get balanced. Sterilising a few thousand dogs in a country like India is ostentatious and meaningless, as a dog matures at the age of 10 months and an unsterilised female rears successfully four puppies a year.

Pet owners should come forward for the sterilisation of their pets. The stray dogs ramble along the country lanes where those accountable for dog sterilisation can hardly reach, and the rise in dog population goes on.

The capturing of stray dogs necessitates trained personnel and specific but simple equipment. It is worthwhile to make it incentive-based. The captured dogs should be presented to a team of specialised veterinary surgeons deputed by the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) in the sterilisation clinic attached to the existing poly clinics at sub-divisional/district headquarters.

NGOs should be made accountable for pre-and-post-surgical care. There is no sense in engaging vets on a payment basis as is being done at many places. The average cost incurred for each dog sterilisation is on the higher side. It is Rs 240 for a female dog and Rs 100 for a male one. This cost can be reduced much if the trained vets for doing sterilisation are deputed by the state governments. This should form part of their duties. The AHD should come forward to make the ABC programme a success.

The inability of most of the NGOs to reach the stray dogs in the interiors beyond Municipal Corporation limits for want of proper infrastructure (funds, vets and other staff) coupled with the non-assistance of the AHD has made the ABC programme impractical. The AWBI must come forward with a number of dogs sterilised, the amount spent and the dog population census in India, to understand whether the ABC programme has been judicious and of any use to the nation?

SOSHIL RATTAN
Animal production specialist
Amritsar

Hizb ceasefire: Pak ploy

THE editorial "Peace signals from Hizb", August 1, refers to the recent unilateral ceasefire by the Hizbul Mujahideen as "a positive step". In my view, it is a clever ploy by Pakistan to re-launch its Kashmir campaign.

Pakistan's current Kashmir policy continues to remain in disarray in the Western world. Despite its diplomatic efforts, it is widely perceived to be a rogue state, an epicentre of international terrorism and the main instigator of violence in Kashmir. Islamabad is, therefore, desperate to change this perception, and also project its Kashmir policy in a positive way.

By making the Hizbul Mujahideen to announce a unilateral ceasefire, Pakistan has managed to achieve three objectives: re-launch its Kashmir policy with a view to winning international support; project the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen rather than the pro-azadi JKLF as the only standard-bearer of the "Kashmiri struggle"; provide three months respite to the tired and defeated Hizb terrorists so that they can re-organise, re-arm and re-group themselves.

Pakistan knows only too well that nothing is likely to come out of these peace talks. But, then, its aim is not to seek a peaceful solution of the Kashmir problem. It merely aims at relaunching its Kashmir policy.

RANDHIR SINGH BAINS
Gants Hill (Essex, UK)