Editor,
In response to the letter, ‘Dhanketi Point No Place For Hawkers’ by Jenniefer Dkhar, (ST February 10, 2024, I completely disagree with the contents of the letter.
Dhanketi Point is the ideal place for the relocation of hawkers as it serves as a commercial hub with various activities already taking place, making it a suitable location for hawker markets without significantly disrupting residential life. It is essential for Loreto Convent and Woodland Hospital to comply with building codes and have their parking facilities, it’s equally crucial to consider the broader impact of prioritizing parking over other community needs. Dhanketi point serves as a public parking area accessible to all, and advocating against relocating hawkers there overlooks the importance of inclusive urban spaces.
Individuals opposing the hawker relocation to Dhanketi point are ignorant and dismissing the concerns of the residents and the right of livelihood of the hawkers, for their own wants. Residents have legitimate concerns about the potential disruption to their lives. However, addressing these concerns should not come at the expense of disregarding the rights and livelihoods of hawkers and the lives of the residents in the area. Instead, we must work together to find solutions that accommodate the needs of both residents and hawkers. Earlier, Dhanketi Point was a bus stand, but is no longer functional as of today, however it is now a parking spot for Loreto Convent and Woodland Hospital, but such establishments must have their own parking facilities. Furthermore, relocating the hawkers to the area and transforming it will play an important role in promoting public transportation as it is key to reducing reliance on private vehicles and alleviating parking issues. Initiatives by the state government such as the Sustainable Transport & Efficient Mobility Society (STEMS) play a crucial role in promoting public transportation, particularly for students. By encouraging the use of public transportation, we can reduce traffic congestion and create a more sustainable urban environment.
In conclusion, addressing the issue of hawker relocation requires a balanced approach that considers the needs of all stakeholders involved. Instead of prioritizing parking over other community needs, let us work towards solutions that promote fairness, inclusivity, and sustainability in our city.
Yours etc.
Lyzander Sohkhlet,
Via email
Time to deal with stray and dangerous pedigreed dog
Editor,
A mother placed her seven-month-old son on the ground to do her duty. Being a poor daily-wage worker, she could not afford to skip work as there was no paid holiday for her to rear her infant child. No sooner had she placed the child on the ground than a pack of dogs came from nowhere, bit the child and dragged him away. People in the vicinity raised an alarm but by then the dogs had disfigured the baby while killing him on the spot. This incident happened in the Ayodhya Nagar area of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on January 10, this year. A video of the gory incident was widely circulated on social media.
All stray dogs must immediately be sterilised and kept in an enclosed area to minimise colossal loss of human lives. India has around 20,000 rabies deaths a year which according to World Health Organisation, “accounts for 36 percent of the world’s deaths.” Most of the victims of rabies in India are under the age of 15 years.
Rabies is a serious brain infection that spreads from the bite or scratch of an infected animal, often a dog. The disease has been eliminated from many countries. It is a challenging job in a country like India where dogs are allowed to roam freely. Rabies is a fatal disease. But it can be prevented by vaccinating all dogs for a number of years and by sterilising stray dog population.
When India is nowhere near the target, Bhutan has completely sterilised and vaccinated its entire stray dog population after pursuing a 14-year dog population control programme. An all out drive to vaccinate dogs across the country like the way Indians have been vaccinated against Covid-19 must immediately be pursued to save precious human lives.
The World Health Organisation has recommended oral rabies vaccines (ORV) which can be hidden in dog food in addition with injectable vaccines to increase vaccination especially among free roaming and poorly supervised dogs. According to experts, the combination of an injectable and oral vaccine approach would help reach the minimum 70 per cent vaccine threshold needed to minimise the risk of rabies being passed to people.
Apart from umpteen number of cases of stray dogs attacking people, sometimes a pet dog attacks a gig worker or a passer-by or even its owner especially when it belongs to a dangerous breed.
No kudos is enough for Legal Attorneys & Barrister Law Firm for filing a petition before the Delhi High Court alleging “dangerous dog breeds” like American Bulldog, Rottweiler, Pitbull, Terrier, Neapolitan Mastiff that are banned in more than 12 countries including India are being registered to be kept as pets by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The petition highlighted many incidents in which such dog breeds attacked people including their owners.
On December 6, last year, the Delhi High Court delivered a judgement asking the Centre to immediately decide preferably within three months time about banning and cancelling the licence to keep dangerous dog breeds as pets.
Most of the victims of dog bites and rabies belong to the poor working class of our society who build our roads, bridges and houses for all of us and who serve everything at our door starting from morning newspapers to food packets. It is really perplexing that their deaths evoke little public sympathy and a lukewarm response from the authorities. I love dogs as much as I hate such insensitive attitudes towards poor workers.
The government must undertake a programme to vaccinate and sterilise all stray dogs and keep them in an enclosed area. Already issued licences to keep dangerous dog breeds as pets must immediately be cancelled. Authorities should also ensure that no such licence is issued in future.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata,