NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Sharp differences cropping up between the city Mayor Surendra Furtado, and Angela Qazi, who manages and runs the PAWS (Panjim Animal Welfare Society) animal shelter located at St Inez, for the Corporation of the City of Panaji, has resulted in the CCP Commissioner Dipak Desai transferring six of the staff members of this animal shelter, thus leaving the stray dogs at the shelter including sick ones, unattended.
A teacher from Sharada Mandir has since volunteered to attend to these dogs at the animal shelter.
It all began when a dog was beaten up by an unknown person, leaving his leg damaged near the residence of the city Mayor, early morning on June 22.
The city Mayor called Qazi at 7.45 am with a request to take the dog to the animal shelter for treatment. Qazi arrived on the scene at 9.12 am which infuriated the city Mayor, who by then had already arranged for treatment of the dog.
Subsequently, six staff members working at the animal shelter, vide a letter dated June 22, signed by the CCP Commissioner were directed to report to the CCP headquarters. They were made to wait for long time at the CCP office and as per the sources, transferred from the animal shelter.
When contacted, Qazi said that the animal shelter now has no staff.
“In fact, the CCP took away our two vehicles yesterday as also the driver today,” she mentioned, adding that she is facing great difficulties in tending the dogs in the animal shelter, in the absence of the staff.
Speaking further, Qazi said that today she received a call from the Agassaim police station about a puppy needing to be shifted to the animal shelter.
“However, in the absence of a vehicle and the driver, I could not collect the puppy,” she informed, adding that a woman police had to bring the puppy to the animal shelter in a police jeep.
It was also informed that the six staff members at the animal shelter, including daily wage workers and sweepers have been told by the CCP authorities not to punch their cards at the punching machine of the PAWS animal shelter. “The animal welfare activities at the shelter were totally paralysed on Friday,” it was further informed.
The City Mayor, when contacted confirmed the incidents, including moving out six staff members from the animal shelter.
He, however, said that even though the CCP finances the animal shelter without raising any queries on the spending, the PAWS official treats her work as a 9 to 5 job, when she is actually expected to be available for all time, especially during the emergencies.
“That day, the PAWS staff did not arrive until past 9 O’clock in the morning, and I had to seek help from a representative of the Dhyan Foundation, who injected pain killer to the puppy,” Furtado informed, stating that this was a serious lapse and needed to be taken up at the meeting of the councilors of the corporation.
He also maintained that there are a number of people around, who are more than happy to take the responsibility of the animal shelter, and in a much more committed manner.
Meanwhile, the dogs at the city animal shelter, including eight of them recently operated for various ailments, may just survive the night, with a temporary caretaker looking after them. However, each passing day will certainly create more problems for them, especially, in the absence of food and medicines.