IIT-Kgp puts ‘no-stray-feeding’ order on hold

Kolkata/Kharagpur: IIT Kharagpur, which issued an administrative notification on revoking permission for feeding spots of stray dogs on campus, kept it in abeyance within hours of its circulation following widespread protests by students and teachers. A letter to animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, following which she called the institute's head, may also have prompted the move. Director Suman Chakraborty said, "The notice has been kept in abeyance because of some ambiguities. A modified notice will be issued soon. Measures will be taken to address the issue in compliance with norms set by various authorities, including the Supreme Court, UGC and other regulatory bodies, to ensure humane coexistence."Kharagpur Prodyogiki Animal Welfare Society, comprising students and teachers, on Thursday night wrote an email to Gandhi, saying Thursday's directive was in "direct conflict with the established guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, which recognise the legal right of community dogs to be fed and cared for in a humane manner." The letter also said, "The abrupt removal of feeding points and exclusion of stray animals may lead to starvation, aggression, and increased human-animal conflict, ironically worsening safety concerns rather than resolving them."A member of the society said, "IIT Kharagpur has about 600 stray dogs on campus. Of these, nearly 50 reside in remote areas and are entirely dependent on regular feeding. The rest are fed outside hostels, canteens and residential areas in open spaces. The society has sterilised 450 stray dogs. We want the authorities to reinstate designated feeding areas."Anindita Bhadra, professor at the department of biological sciences, IISER Kolkata, who has been working on street dog behaviour for the last 17 years, said, "The SC has not ordered the feeding of street dogs to stop. Dogs that don't find food regularly can get aggressive and even start hunting. Hence, stopping feeding all of a sudden can cause more problems than solving them."