KOTTAYAM: In the wake of reports in a section of the English media that the St Thomas College Alumni Association, Pala would hand out gold coins to the civic authorities for killing stray dogs, the college and its alumni association has come out with a rejoinder that neither the college nor the association has made any such announcement.
Principal Sunny Joseph and alumni association secretary Alex C Menamparambil have dismissed the media reports. "We don't know how the name of such a reputed college has been dragged into this row. Only one registered association of former students is linked with the activities of the college, which is the St Thomas College Alumni Association. This organisation has made no announcement regarding culling of dogs or rewarding such acts,” said Dr Sunny Joseph.
"It has been learnt that an organisation called the Old Students Welfare Association of St Thomas College, Pala, made the announcement in this regard," he added.
“Anyone can register any organisation. However, the group which declared the reward for killing stray dogs has no links with the college. This institute is not associated with it or its office-bearers in any way,” he said.
Dr Sunny added that further course of action, including legal action against the outfit, will be decided after discussing the matter with the college management. Alex C Menamparambil of the alumni association said James Pambakkal, the general secretary of the Old Students Welfare Association, which made the announcement, was a former member of the executive committee of the St Thomas College Alumni Association. “But he was expelled from our organisation as part of disciplinary action four years ago,” he said.
When contacted, James Pambakkal said his organisation was formed a few years ago in coordination with the former students of St Thomas College, Pala. He, however, clarified that his organization was not the official alumni association of the college as directed by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
He said the organisation would move ahead with the initiative. “We are planning to give gold coins to the presidents of 10 municipalities or grama panchayats which kill the maximum number stray dogs till November 30, 2017.
Earlier, James had garnered attention by announcing that his organisation would provide subsidised air guns to the people to tackle stray dog menace.