Letters to the EDITOR: Need for responsible pet ownership to keep streets clean

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Need for responsible pet ownership to keep streets clean

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities and the public to a growing menace in our locality — the indiscriminate littering of streets by pet dogs.

It has become a common sight to see dog owners allowing their pets to defecate anywhere on the streets, footpaths, and even near children’s play areas. This not only creates an unpleasant environment but also poses a serious health hazard. The situation worsens during the rains, when the filth spreads and increases the risk of diseases.

While we do not deny the right of citizens to keep pets, they must also be made aware of their responsibility to maintain hygiene in public spaces. In many cities around the world, pet owners are required to clean up after their dogs, and strict penalties are imposed for violations. A similar system should be implemented here, along with public awareness campaigns to educate pet owners about civic sense. I sincerely hope that the concerned municipal authorities take prompt action to address this problem by installing waste bins, providing dog waste bags, and imposing fines on defaulters. A little effort can go a long way in keeping our surroundings clean and safe for everyone.

Mowsam Hazarika 

K R C Road, Kumarpara, 

Guwahati

Public protests and police action

Demonstrations and peaceful rallies are part and parcel of democracy. But unwarranted use of force should not be the sole purpose of the police. The recent police brutality on the peaceful demonstrators at Golokgang was really unfortunate. The state government’s immediate action against a police officer with a probe ordered deserves appreciation. It is true that there are always a few mischief mongers to foment trouble by inciting the protesters. Therefore there is a need for prompt police action at the troubled spot to prevent protesters from taking the law into their own hands, as the police are an instrument of grievance redressal for the public and not brutality. What is needed for the state’s police now is effective crowd control training to check incompetence, which invariably comes to the fore when they lack matching action in terms of crowd control, when a situation sometimes takes an ugly turn and creates a law and order issue. The leaders of organizations are equally responsible and answerable for crowd violence. The state police should always leave no stone unturned to rectify lapses, which may be the reasons for the erosion of public faith in the department, and, therefore, developing better police-public relations is the need of the hour.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati. 

Together we can

Plastic bags, bottles and packaging can be seen all over the country polluting our streets, soil, water and air. All this plastic pollution is a major public health threat. Sadly, many citizens are not aware of how serious this problem is.

   The government, media and environmental groups must work together to ban single-use plastics, promote recycling and create public awareness campaigns. If immediate action is taken, we can protect both our environment and our health.

Jubel D’Cruz,

(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)