Fw: (IN) A.B.C DISPENSARY UNDER SEIGE

[Guest guest]

Dear friend,

 

The following is an email from Dr Pradeep Kumar whom I met at the WSPA

international conference earlier this year in London.

 

Pradeep has been working on animal protection in Visakha, India.

Recently, despite death threats, he won a landmark case against the

Indian navy to protect sea turtles. However, as you will read from his

email sent on X-mas day, he is working in an extremely difficult

environment.

 

----------------------------

 

Subject:

A.B.C DISPENSARY UNDER SIEGE

Date:

Mon, 25 Dec 2000 13:46:42 +0530

pradeep <vspcanath

 

 

Today about 200 people from the nearby village attacked us with sticks and we

exchanged blows as self defence. Teresa was punched on the face as she charged

at one of the attackers who was removing the kennels with dogs inside and

rolling them around like a ball. Some attacked our van and were removing the air

from the tyres. All these was happening in front of two policemen. They squatted

in front of the dispensary and did not allow us to operate. The one dog brought

by the Municipality van was let loose by these miscreants. These people

comprises of paid hooliganisms by the combined efforts of three major political

parties. All the news media were there. There was complete traffic jam from 9.00

A.M. till 2.00 P.M. The police came after frantic efforts after two hours of the

incident and as usual were asking stupid questions. As most of the police were

deployed for the Utsav hence severe shortage. They want us to stop the

operations immediately and also shift elsewhere. Their contention is that we

should do more than 200 dogs per day. They say that the operated dogs were being

let loose to the village and that their livestocks were being eaten. The Chief

Medical Officer of the Municipality did come to sort things out but we felt very

disappointed when he was instigating the villagers against us by saying that the

Municipality wanted to kill the dogs which was the only way to control the

population but was not allowed because of us. He was seen giving ideas to

petition the District Collector and to the court. We have suspended operations

until this was cleared. I am asking the Municipality to do the needful and also

asking the police for protection.

 

Warm Regards,

Pradeep.

 

----------------------------

 

These are the people to write to, to appeal for better protection for

the Visakha Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

 

You may like to ask friends to help write also. Letters should not be

abusive or angry - firm, polite yet expressing disappointment might be

best. The Post Office does international faxing.

 

Shri. A.K. Khan, Commissioner of Police

Phone No: 91-891-525500 ® or 91-891-562763 (O)

FAX No: 91-891-562763

 

Shri. J.S.V. Prasad, District Collector

Phone No: 91-891-726999 or 91-891-754106

FAX no: 91-891-564426

email: <viscoll.

 

Shri.Sanjay Jaju, Municipal Commissioner

Phone No: 91-891-754395 ® or 91-891-746300 (O)

FAX no: 91-891-568545

 

Shri.H.J.Dora, Director General of Police

Phone No: 91-40-3235170

FAX No: 91-40-3296565

 

Dr.C.Rangarajan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh

Phone: 91-40-3310521

FAX: 91-40-3311260

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

guna