Smuggling of stray dogs: Letters to The EDITOR

Smuggling of stray dogs

It is nasty and monstrous how dogs are being smuggled across the Northeast to please the palates of those people who consider dog meat a delicacy.

It is a matter of serious concern that numerous dogs have disappeared from the streets of Guwahati and this happens overnight.

There have been instances of dogs going missing from many localities of the city and there seems to be a relation between the sudden disappearing of dogs with a scandalous dog sneaking racket ostensibly plying in the city.

Dogs are drugged, muzzled and stuffed into trucks to be smuggled off to places like Mizoram and Nagaland where there is a considerable amount of demand for dog meat. The way these dogs are carried with stitched muzzles and ropes tight enough to cut through their flesh is cruel and tormenting. Amongst all this, there has been a conjecture from a very long time that dog meat is illegally being sold by street food vendors and some restaurants. We can only hope that the NGOs and the animal rights activists coordinate with the law-enforcement officers to bust the criminal activities going on in the city to put an end to this gruesome crime.

Rifa Deka,

Royal School of Communications and Media, Royal Global University, Guwahati.

Erratic power supply

At a time when the Chief Minister's assertion of 'zero tolerance' to corruption is thrown to the wind, when the media show the ramshackle roads implying lack of interest of the State's ruling dispensation in repairing the same and bridges, yet another ugly face surfaces. This time erratic electricity supply hits the people across the State.

For quite some time, the Upper Assam premier town Dibrugarh is reeling under erratic supply of electricity. The problem confronting the people of Dibrugarh vis-a-vis erratic supply of power assumes a worse proportion in last few days. There is no hard and fast time for disrupting the supply of electricity as a result of which if people are hard hit, the government machinery responsible for supply of electricity to the people of Assam. (APDCL) has no botheration as if causing inconvenience to the people is its right. Without any previous notice, if supply is disrupted, it takes the people by surprise with the result that all the routine works like timely taking of bath, food are upset. Above all, World Cup Cricket (WCC) matches are going on for which many cricket lovers have been waiting for a long time. If supply of power is disrupted, it implies that cricket lovers are deprived of viewing their favourite teams performing in the World Cup Cricket. Obviously, there would be a sense of resentment among all sections of people. We believe, the department concerned would take appropriate steps to do away with the anomalies and ensure supply of power nonstop.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.

Whither modernization of Assam Police

It is experienced that suddenly Assam Police officials at the helm affairs wake up from slumber and start harping on the string that Assam Police will be modernized. But media reports speak otherwise. Assam Police has not been instrumental as yet to man its forces with adequate manpower, a factor which is indispensable for efficient functioning of a strategically sensitive department. The inquiry order into the scam of the purchase of bulletproof jacket in the wake of the unfortunate killing of the Bordumsa O/C Bhaskar Kalita has been put into the cold storage, it seems. There are issues galore in our problem-riddled state. To fight out these multiple issues we need to have a force will-equipped with sophisticated paraphernalia and adequate manpower, necessitating a modernized police force. Another report aired by the electronic media suggests that the top officials of the Assam Police invested Rs 72 crore in the Private Mutual Fund which can be withdrawn only after one year. At a time when the houses (quarters) and some of offices of the Assam Police are becoming more and more dilapidated with each passing day, the investment of such a huge amount in Mutual Fund conveys a wrong message. We are shocked to read a news in a vernacular daily about the discrimination meted out to the constables as they have to stay in cottage like dilapidated houses as compared to the palatial official quarters of the officers. The Chief Minister after his completion of 3 years in office does a disservice to the lower grade police staff. We appeal to the Chief Minister through your esteemed daily to take appropriate steps immediately to do away with the act of discrimination. The Chief Minister who holds the 'Home' portfolio fails to handle the sensitive department the way he should have. It is a good news that the Government of Assam in a bid to preserve three 'British Era' police stations of the 'Quit India' fame - Satia, Gohpur and Dhekiajuli – has already taken initiatives to declare these three police stations as 'Heritage Stations'.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.