Apothecaries and Dressers

Your article on the qualification and duties of Apothecaries and Dressers was interesting.

Jean Menezes
jeanmenezes1952@gmail.com

Stray dogs and tourism

A business associate of mine from a West European country visited Chennai recently with his wife and two children on a holiday trip. I had the opportunity to explain the various features of Chennai city, particularly highlighting its glorious history. I also handed over to him a few copies of Madras Musings, which I preserve, while explaining to him as to how the heritage features of Chennai city are being highlighted by a dedicated journal. Finally, I told him that Elliots beach is the pride of Chennai city.

Then, I took him to Elliots beach and he was highly impressed, particularly by the large beach sand area. He said he has never seen so much of sand area in the various beaches that he has visited around the world.

I also took him along the well designed and executed track specifically built on the beach sand for the benefit of the differently abled persons, who cannot walk on the sand. While walking on this track, he could not see any disabled persons but only normal men and women of different age groups and pointed out this to me. I explained to him that differently-abled persons are only a fraction of the population and nevertheless we care for them by building this special track. So far, so good.

Then we walked on the platform with a smooth bench reasonably well-designed to enable, particularly, the senior citizens to sit and enjoy the sea breeze. As we walked on the platform there were a number of slabs missing or broken and we saw several hawkers partly blocking the platform by exhibiting their assorted items and eatables for sale. He saw them but did not comment.

As we walked along further, we saw a number of dogs, either sitting, sleeping or walking on the platform, very near the persons sitting on the bench. Suddenly, a dog came very near us and the little girl walking with her father (my overseas associate), got frightened and screamed. My friend immediately lifted the child and pacified her.

Then, he started noticing the number of dogs and asked me whether they are pet dogs brought by their owners to enable them to walk freely and enjoy the sea breeze.

I explained to him that these dogs have no owners and they are “independent animals” and are stray dogs. Then, he said that they all seem to be well-fed and wanted to know who cares for them. When I explained to him about the stray dogs and how they are being fed by dog-lovers and that they also survive by eating the thrown away food from the number of eateries on the beach sand, he was surprised. When I told him there have been occasional instances of these dogs biting the passers by, in the city, he was shocked and looked anxiously at his wife and two children, as we were walking with the dogs criss-crossing. His equally alarmed wife observed that the free moving dogs may pose hygiene and public health issues and wondered as to what could be the problem in moving them away from the public places. I remained silent.

Then, he made a sharp remark that such a beautiful beach is spoiled by the roaming stray dogs and this could be a deterrent to tourists from abroad who are not used to such a number of stray dogs on the streets anywhere in the world.

His observation made me think that while the Supreme Court, which is concerned about the stray dogs menace and has said so much about the various problems caused by the stray dogs, does not seem to have pointed out the adverse impact on the tourism industry due to the stray dogs, which are now seen in lakhs and spread all over the country including in the tourist spots.

The Government of India and state governments consider tourism as priority area for focus, and special measures have been taken to boost tourism, particularly from abroad. I am afraid that all the good work done to promote tourism could be wiped out in one stroke by the lakhs of stray dogs loitering around in public places all over India.

N.S.Venkataraman
Trustee
Nandini Voice for The Deprived
H 119, Flat 2A, Ramaniyam Samudra
33rd Cross Street
Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090