THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A protest is brewing at Kuttichal panchayat with the residents on a warpath against a private illegal dog shelter housing captured strays from the Thiruvananthapuram corporation limits. With the opposition at the grama panchayat planning to intensify its protest, authorities on Thursday served a notice cancelling the licence of the facility.
Four months back, the panchayat had issued a licence for breeding 50 hybrid dogs. An inspection by the authorities following complaints from the local residents found that the operator has been sheltering stray dogs illegally without permission.
“The facility is being operated against the panchayat’s mandates. Under the Panchayati Raj Act, we are required to give a 15-day notice, and we have formally issued a notice instructing them to relocate the dogs within this period. If they fail to comply within 15 days, we will immediately move the court and strictly execute whatever orders the court issues,” panchayat president Radha Jayan told TNIE.
Meanwhile, the panchayat has landed in a crisis with the opposition intensifying protest against the UDF-led administration. The opposition on Wednesday staged a walk out during the panchayat committee meeting over the illegal dog shelter.
Aruvikkara MLA G Stephan said that the shelter needs to be shut down immediately. “There have been irregularities in the procedures and we suspected vested interests in this. Dogs captured from city limits cannot be brought here indiscriminately. If the corporation wanted to establish a private shelter, they should have approached the panchayat and proposed the idea.
There should be an open discussion with the local residents and political parties. It should not have been done secretly,” said Stephan.
Recently, the People for Animal (PFA) staged a protest in front of the city corporation office alleging cruelty, corruption and illegalities in the handling of stray dogs.
According to an RTI response, the civic body has captured around 1,300 dogs, out of which only 301 are currently housed in shelters. The opposition at the corporation has also demanded the status of the remaining dogs.
The shelter at Kuttichal is housing more than 200 dogs captured by the corporation. Meanwhile, the PFA had approached the High Court seeking intervention in the issue.