Guest guest Posted August 22, 2009 Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2009082220090822051623171467a90e5/Pigheade\ d.html Pig-headed Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation appoints �swine catchers� to capture all pigs in the area and release them elsewhere By Yogesh Sadhwani Posted On Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 05:16:23 AM They may not have started a swine flu testing centre yet, but the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has come up with what could only be called a �unique� way of combatting the disease: they�ve hired a team to catch all the pigs in the area. On Friday, the Mumbai Mirror team spotted a group of about 10 people in the back of a KDMC truck, with over two dozen pigs by their side. The animals� legs were tied and their mouths covered. The truck then entered the KDMC headquarters, where the pigs were counted by civic officials. When this reporter contacted Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sajay Gharat - who is in charge of the Health Department � to ask about this bizarre exercise, he explained that in the wake of the swine flu outbreak in Mumbai, a survey of pigs in Kalyan and Dombivli was done. It was learnt that the animals were in abundance. �Hence we decided to catch them and leave them in areas outside our jurisdiction. For this purpose, we have hired an agency that specialises in catching pigs,� he said. Sounds unbelievable? There�s more: The team of �swine catchers� has two minors aged 10 years. Both boys were bitten by pigs on Friday. �It is a risky job and once in a while we get hurt,� said Vellu, one of the child workers, adding he had never gone to school. The other, Kamraj, said he didn�t know anything about swine flu. �What is it? We don�t know anything about it. We have been asked to catch the pigs - that is all we know.� Expectedly, both were are unaware of the Child Labour Act, which states that children below 14 years of age cannot be deployed in any hazardous industries. On being told about the children, Gharat was appalled: �I will conduct an inquiry. If it is true that children have been employed, strict action will be taken against the agency.� No protective gear for swine catchers Going by the KDMC�s logic - that pigs are responsible for spreading swine flu - you�d think the catchers would be covered from head to toe in protective gear. The workers, however, catch the creatures with their bare hands. Gharat said he was unaware of this, too. �In these times, it is all the more necessary to take all precautions. The agency was specifically told to do that. I will definitely see to it that stern action is taken against the agency,� he added. -- Thank you for your compassion ! With best regards, Debasis Chakrabarti Compassionate Crusaders Trust http://www.animalcrusaders.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 2009 Report Share Posted August 22, 2009 Dear All, I have already written a strong letter to Municipal Commissioner of KDMC that the killing should be stopped we will file FIR today itself! Regards, Nilesh PAWS debasischak [debasischak] Saturday, August 22, 2009 12:04 PM aapn (IN) Pig-headed http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2009082220090822051623171467a90e5/Pigheade\ d.html Pig-headed Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation appoints �swine catchers� to capture all pigs in the area and release them elsewhere By Yogesh Sadhwani Posted On Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 05:16:23 AM They may not have started a swine flu testing centre yet, but the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has come up with what could only be called a �unique� way of combatting the disease: they�ve hired a team to catch all the pigs in the area. On Friday, the Mumbai Mirror team spotted a group of about 10 people in the back of a KDMC truck, with over two dozen pigs by their side. The animals� legs were tied and their mouths covered. The truck then entered the KDMC headquarters, where the pigs were counted by civic officials. When this reporter contacted Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sajay Gharat - who is in charge of the Health Department � to ask about this bizarre exercise, he explained that in the wake of the swine flu outbreak in Mumbai, a survey of pigs in Kalyan and Dombivli was done. It was learnt that the animals were in abundance. �Hence we decided to catch them and leave them in areas outside our jurisdiction. For this purpose, we have hired an agency that specialises in catching pigs,� he said. Sounds unbelievable? There�s more: The team of �swine catchers� has two minors aged 10 years. Both boys were bitten by pigs on Friday. �It is a risky job and once in a while we get hurt,� said Vellu, one of the child workers, adding he had never gone to school. The other, Kamraj, said he didn�t know anything about swine flu. �What is it? We don�t know anything about it. We have been asked to catch the pigs - that is all we know.� Expectedly, both were are unaware of the Child Labour Act, which states that children below 14 years of age cannot be deployed in any hazardous industries. On being told about the children, Gharat was appalled: �I will conduct an inquiry. If it is true that children have been employed, strict action will be taken against the agency.� No protective gear for swine catchers Going by the KDMC�s logic - that pigs are responsible for spreading swine flu - you�d think the catchers would be covered from head to toe in protective gear. The workers, however, catch the creatures with their bare hands. Gharat said he was unaware of this, too. �In these times, it is all the more necessary to take all precautions. The agency was specifically told to do that. I will definitely see to it that stern action is taken against the agency,� he added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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