Sitting in my room and lost in the wonderland of thoughts, a rampant ringtone “why this kolavari di” on my sister’s cell made me leave the fantasy land. It was my sister’s friend, who also happens to be our relative, who wanted to share the news about her engagement. I took no time in floating big congratulatory words and in the mean time managed to get to my sister and hand over the cell phone to her. After a brief conversation my sister left for the office in a very pleasant mood. Once my sister was back in the evening, there was a detailed discussion regarding the morning news. My sister decided to pay a visit to her friend on Sunday. That day real joy filled our sweet home.
Next day morning as we were enjoying noon chai and lawasa the morning newspaper - GREATER KASHMIR – sent a shock. I took over the newspaper and to my dismay I saw the shocking news of a 3-year old girl mauled by the dogs in Habba Kadal, the same area my sister was planning to visit on Sunday. I couldn’t stare at the picture in the paper. When I couldn’t hold my nerves to have a look at the picture, what would be the feeling of the fateful toddler’s parents, was all that occupied my mind the whole day.
Dog menace in Kashmir has already assumed alarming proportions. There is barely any place in valley that can be seen without these stray packs. Streets, hospital ambience, university lawns, footpaths, garbage bins and everywhere else dogs are there to give you a warm welcome. Everyone is living in a constant fear of these canines. Women and children are the worst hit. Parents sending their wards to school have no guarantee that their kids may return home unharmed. Elderly people mostly prefer to sit indoors. This is what today’s Kashmir is all about.
Unfortunately the administrative heads of Kashmir are in a slumber. It seems the more severe any issue, the more reluctant Government is in resolving that. The so called animal lovers have rubbed salt in our wounds by propounding the bill against dog killing and getting it passed too. This makes one ponder over the fact that how come the canine life has outvalued the human life. Strange...!!!!
Government should come clean on the issue and act briskly to provide respite to the people. Sterilization of dogs is a long term method to check the menace and ineffective at this hour when the gravity of the issue has already broken all the records. If the world can join hands to curb terrorism, why can’t Government join hands with the common masses to fight the canine  terror. Government should wake up and act before it is too late. Failure of the government regarding this issue will mean another year of protests, this time “freedom from canines” with no difference of opinion among different sections of society.

Fedback at rehana_akhtar2005@yahoo.com

Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST