PANAJI: Collector, North Goa, Nila Mohanan, who is also the chairperson of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), on Thursday, forwarded to the Commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji, Dipak Desai, the complaint lodged before her by the Panjim Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) as regards severe crisis at the city animal shelter run by PAWS, following transfer of six trained staff members at this shelter by the CCP.
She has also asked the CCP Commissioner to respond to the complaint.
Meanwhile, the CCP partially withdrew its decision, and on Thursday re-transferred three of the workers to the PAWS animal shelter, including Laxmi Pujari, who used to feed the animals at this shelter. The CCP however also transferred one worker at the animal shelter to its office.
It is learnt that the authorities at the CCP were keen to replace PAWS with another organisation, HOME (Haven of Miracles Enclave) also involved in animal rescue and looking after stray dogs.
However, the organisation did not respond positively to the offer of the Corporation, and with mounting public pressure, the CCP had to partially withdraw its order.
The Collector, North Goa, speaking to this daily said that she has forwarded the complaint from the PAWS to the CCP Commissioner as the complaint was more specific.
“The response is being sought from the CCP for the complaint as I need some background for the issue,” she added, maintaining that some paperwork also remains to be done before convening a related meeting in the capacity of SPCA chairperson.
It may be recalled that an altercation between the City Mayor Surendra Furtado and the honorary secretary of PAWS Angela Kazi, last week, over picking up a injured stray dog from near the house of Furtado by PAWS had resulted in the CCP transferring six of the dozen-odd staff members at the particular animal shelter.
This decision had left the stray dogs at the animal shelter, including some recently operated dogs, unattended.
The complaint filed by Dr Virupaxa Banakar, trustee/ honorary treasurer of PAWS to Mohanan has maintained that the sudden withdrawal of the animal-care staff from the PAWS by the CCP is contrary to the very spirit of government of India’s Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animals Act, 1960 and is against the very purpose of the SPCA under the Animal Welfare Board of India.
“The PAWS has also been designated as the SPCA of North Goa,” it noted, pointing out that the said arbitrary act of the CCP authorities has left the stray animals at the shelter with inadequate care and treatment.
