(IN): Monsoon Mayhem and other Disaster Managements

[Guest guest]

Monsoon Mayhem and other Disaster Managements

 

Dear Indian Animal Advocates and Organisations,

 

As temperatures soar all across India and specially Northern and

Southern India news reports of animals both captive and wild dying of

water scarcity is increasing every passing day.

 

I belong to the Northeastern region of India which is a little more

blessed by Mother nature and therefore the Parks and Zoos normally do

not go dry throughout the year. But despite that the local

administration and the state Government plays a very important role in

checking and monitoring the water scarcity or the flooding of the

parks etc as this region is more prone to annual floods during the

monsoon.

But even then it is only a very miniscule privileged lot of animals

that finally are rescued from the monsoon mayhem or floods here. This

region has just one Wildlife rescue and rehab centre run by the WTI

and the state Government for the wild animals and during floods rescue

of livestock and cattle by the Governemnt veterinary people is carried

out but is extremly low scale.

Most of the Vets and Veterinary students in the city enjoy vacation

during floods as there is just no plan undertaken by any Government

agency or NGO to make use of them in a crisis.

 

I am sure this is the case in many places of this country which in

disaster like situations.

 

Recently there was news of Peacocks dying in north India because all

the water bodies had gone dry. The Forest expressed helplessness and

the administration said we made a tank last year and it has gone dry,

lame silly excuses.

 

Now in places where we do not have fully functional NGOs dedicated

towards animal care service, it is always important to somehow connect

through the Government or administration and the experienced lot

within the animal welfare community who have atlest some experience in

combating such crisis.

 

Well, why I am writing this is because unfortunately neither the

Animal Welfare Board of India nor any Indian organisation working for

animal welfare in Indian soil has managed to qualify into the elite

list of the 'National Disaster Management Committee' of the Government

of India.

 

Strange but true !

 

Following is the list of the member organizations in the committee:

 

Link: http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/committee/Committee.htm

 

GOI – NGO Disaster preparation and Response Committee

 

 

Chairman – JS, (NDM), DAC

Coordinator – CARE India

Members

1. World Vision of India

2. SOS Children's Village India

3. Ramakrishna Mission

4. Plan international

5. OXFAM India Trust

6. Lutheran World Service India

7. Red Cross

8. Catholic Relief Services

9. CASA

10. CARITAS India

11. Voluntary Health association Of India

12. Action Aid

13. Action for Food Production-AFPRO

14. Indo German Social Services Society

 

Well, this is not surprising, We Indians boast of having perhaps the

best of rules and laws for animal rights and welfare, but the reality

is that the Government and the policy makers still feel that its just

namesake and we animal welfare people are just a bunch of jokers,

otherwise what could be the reason for non inclusion of any

Organisation or even the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) which is

the Governments own baby in that committee.

Post Tsunami we have seen what wonderful role VISHAKA and Humane

Society etc played with animal rescue, well if without being organized

we can fight a disaster so well, imagine how beneficial it can be if

we instead of waiting for a Tsunami to strike twice can work to

minimize the tragedy that we know is going to happen, like for example

drought, floods etc which come annually.

 

Every district in Indian states under the District magistrate/

commissioner has been asked to form Disaster Management cells but the

focus is ONLY on HUMAN LIVES.

 

Therefore it is my request to all in animal life saving business

please write to the National Disaster Management Cell under the

Ministry of Home affairs and also register your organization on their

database online by following the link below ( International

Organisations can register themselves as well ).

 

http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/hr/index.htm

 

Let us all rise up and make ourselves a strong force and represent the

animal kingdom in a much better way.

 

The experience of VISHAKA and others during the Tsunami and Snehal

Bhatt of GSPCA and others if networked and highlighted across India

through Disaster Management cells etc it can work wonders for any

region in crisis.

 

Let us pressurize the Government to acknowledge its responsibilities

and endorse animal welfare with the same respect it does to its 'Human

Animals'

 

Regards,

 

Azam Siddiqui