COIMBATORE:There is a flurry of activity with the district administration engaged in preparing for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-hour visit to Coimbatore to unveil the 112-feet bust ofAdiyogi at the Isha Yoga Centre on Maha Shivaratri on Friday.
Apart from arranging tight security and keeping ready facilities for any medical need, an unusual ‘preparation’ is also taking place. All street dogs are being caught along the route to the Isha Yoga Centre, in case the Prime Minister’s goes there by road.
“Our four dog catchers are working from morning to evening to catch the dogs and keep them safe at the Corporation’s dog shelter in Ukkadam,” said District Animal Welfare Officer Kalpana Vasudevan. “This is being done, as requested by the district administration, to prevent them from coming in the way of the entourage and also to keep the dogs safe,” she added.
The dog catching began on Wednesday evening and 24 were caught by Thursday evening and locked up. They are being caught from the Airport Road and the surrounding areas and from Avinashi Road, as directed by the administration.
Kalpana Vasudevan, who also heads the NGO - People for Animals Coimbatore Unit 2 - said they using the NGO’s vehicle for the operation as the Corporation vehicle was unavailable.
“We will be given the corporation vehicle also on Friday before the Prime Minister’s arrival. Both the vehicles will be on standby till he leaves,” she said.
The dogs will not returned to their ‘territory’ immediately after the Prime Minister leaves. They can be sent back only on Monday as drivers and workers do not work on weekends.
“We will be feeding them for three-four days. We have two cooks and cleaners, two para-veterinary workers and two veterinary doctors to look after the dogs at the shelter during these days,” added Kalpana.