Samikhsya Bureau
A whatsaap message had gone viral suggesting that each one of us care to prepare a few extra ‘chapatis’(roti) in view of the plight faced by the dogs on the streets.
True, with almost all road-side hotels, Dhabas, tea-stalls and other small eateries closed, imagine the plight of above 15 to 10 thousand dogs on the street.
Regardless of the menace they are always attributed with, yet they are a part of the symbiosis that goes on for centuries and it is not easy to dismiss their presence with a side glance.
Some encounters with this faithful animal is mistaken, often. We find exited dogs wagging the tails or few try to jump at us out of expectations for a crumb of food or a pat. And, more often we find it easy to mistake their friendliness for aggression.
But, may be, the problems are in our head. Each of them need a caring hand, love to be petted. And mind you, a dog always returns the favour of that care in whatever way they can.
Today, all of them are hungry, fed on dirt they normally not thrive on. Their looks are now lazy, tails languidly flick at the sight of a human.
They look visibly hungry and some ills in last three days’ situation. COVID has done no less disservice to them than the human beings. Human can be in their houses, quarantined or taking rest, but they are out taking on the plunders of helplessness.
The organisations like People For Animal(PFA) now has a role to play.
A visit to the tourist sites in Bhubaneswar reveal another plight, of another specie. Over 300 to 400 langoors who live in the Khandagiri-Udaygiri and a few other such spots.
Tourism activities already put on hold, the animals are indeed a forlorn lot.
As we gather out wits to battle out the virus, these animals seem run over by hunger.
However, the PFA has been quick this time to wake up to the plight of these monkeys and are trying to do a bit for them at Khandagiri and other sites.
“Now we feel that the state can also do something for such animals out there to survive through the lockdown” said Jeevan Das, who heads PFA here.
