Students for Streeties urge Karnataka to scale up ABC, ARV programmes
Bengaluru (PTI): Students for Streeties, a student-led organisation, on Saturday urged the Karnataka government to scale up scientific dog population management through ABC and ARV programmes across the state, instead of investing heavily in dog shelters.
The appeal was made at a press conference here attended by representatives of animal welfare organisations and student groups, including All Paws Community, Charlie’s Animal Rescue Centre (CARE) and Citizens for Animal Birth Control (ABC).
Actor Pooja Gandhi, through a video message, felicitated the Students for Streeties campaign and appealed to the Government of Karnataka to strictly implement the ABC programme.
Speakers said Bengaluru has remained free of human rabies due to strong systems such as a rabies helpline, ring vaccination and sustained ABC efforts. They stressed that community caregiving, coupled with robust ABC and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes, is the most effective and humane way to address dog bites and rabies.
The panel referred to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent post on X reiterating the need to follow the ABC Rules, 2023, and avoid impounding dogs.
They appealed to the state government to file an affidavit in the court, committing to statewide ABC implementation and developing a model on the lines of Bengaluru’s programme.
They also said they would seek meetings with the chief minister and chief secretary, urging the government not to spend crores on shelters and instead tackle the issue at nearly one-tenth of the cost through proven ABC and ARV measures.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
