Videos have surfaced on social media, about street dogs being removed ‘inhumanely’ by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the G20 Summit 2023. Know what the animal activists and MCD have to say on this..
New Delhi: The Group of 20 (G20) Summit 2023 was held under India’s Presidency for the first time on September 9 and September 10, 2023. Preparations for the international event had been going on for more than a year and this only intensified right before the event. In order to ‘beautify’ and ‘clean’ the city, especially the area that would be used by the G20 Delegates, the government took many steps and these steps included the ‘removal’ of animals commonly found on the streets in these areas like monkeys and dogs. G20 Summit 2023 is now over but did you notice that most city streets, especially the DMRC area was free from the street dogs? Videos have been circulating on social media that have brought to notice the alleged cruelty with which the street dogs are being ‘removed’ from the roads. Where the videos and these ‘inhumane actions’ of the MCD have been condemned by various animal activists, the government authority has refuted them.
MCD Using ‘Inhumane Methods’ To ‘Capture’ Stray Dogs?
Videos that have surfaced on social media are proof that the stray dogs in Delhi are being removed from streets in an ‘inhumane’ manner. Many animal activists have claimed that the civic body has been capturing stray dogs by using methods like ‘net catching’ and ‘hand catching’. According to the witnesses of the news agency Reuters, MCD teams had captured dogs using rods with a loop at one end and then they were dragged to the ambulances. Reuters’ images also showed how the animals were inside cages, with a white-baord hanging at the entrance that had a token number assigned to each dog, their gender and fur colour details.
MCD, in their order did mention that the captured dogs were being tracked and would be released from where they were taken, but did not give a timeframe for the same.
Animal Activists Condemn Actions Of MCD
The alleged cruelty has been harshly criticised and condemned by various animal activists. According to Dr. Asher Jesudoss, Delhi Animal Welfare Board Executive Committee’s nominated member said, “We had suggested that an oversight committee should be formed to oversee this drive when the orders were issued last month (MCD order to relocate community dogs). Now they are catching dogs illegally without any written orders. We have videographic evidence from several localities. MCD workers are using techniques which are not allowed under ABC rules. They are dragging dogs with noose around metallic rods.”
Where Ambika Shukla, a trustee of the People for Animals said, “What India is doing is ironic given the theme of the G20 — one earth, one family, one future. It is hypocritical to talk of a shared future when we do not make room for our co-beings”, Sanjay Mohapatra, founder of the House of Stray Animals called this act ‘needless’. Sanjay Mohapatra also said that if delegates see people feeding stray dogs, it will create a better impression of our country.
Reaction Of The Municipal Corporation of Delhi
The issue was not only raised by the animal activists but it also got a little political when Congress uploaded a video of dogs been taken away illegally and showcased the ‘shocking cruelty’. The municipal corporation refuted these claims and said, ‘Its high time to say NO TO MISINFORMATION. The video shared here is short on credibility and authenticity. MCD assure one and all that the dogs are picked up on ‘urgent need’ basis and are kept in proper care with medical and other facilities. No cruelty or harm was caused.’
Its high time to say NO TO MISINFORMATION. The video shared here is short on credibility and authenticity. MCD assure one and all that the dogs are picked up on ‘urgent need’ basis and are kept in proper care with medical and other facilities. No cruelty or harm was caused. https://t.co/EHotRiasdH pic.twitter.com/HIGWAd56Ta
— Municipal Corporation of Delhi (@MCD_Delhi) September 9, 2023
Sanjay Mohapatra has called MCD’s response to the video as ‘disheartening’. He said, “It’s disheartening to see the MCD selectively pointing out videos from other states and not responding to videos where it’s visible that their employees are involved in dragging the dogs using metal wire noose, which is banned under the animal welfare board of India (AWBI) guidelines.”