Rising neglect of animals highlights human indifference to nature

Abhijit Roy

Does this planet just belong to humans? This subject may bother any sensitive person, but we cannot deny the fact that we regard this vast tract of land as our own. Otherwise, what might be the cause when the human beings  are fighting for their fundamental rights, and at the same time nature’s other living beings have no words to say for their well being.

Previously, the elders of the family would keep vegetable peels, roti-rice, and water outside their homes so that animals on the streets could eat them and fill their stomachs. Grains were spread in the courtyards of the houses for birds such as eagles, crows, and sparrows to eat, but this mindset has now changed totally. People now feed animals only to those stuffs which they themselves cannot consume and that too in a  plastic bags.

Since animals lack hands, they devour the entire bag rather than opening and consuming it, resulting in a high number of untimely deaths each day. Sparrows, which used to peck at grains tossed by humans, now eat garbage poured down in drains. No one account that many birds perish each day as a result of being burnt by hot rice water from our kitchen drains. Concrete jungles are being built in the name of industrialization and progress in the country and around the world, displacing these homeless creatures from their settled homes.

What else can we call it if not misfortune? When political parties have no problems challenging the actions of the government administration in support of the people’s intrusion, why don’t they raise their voices to stop the destruction of these rare creations of nature? Every day, these animals travel several kilometers in quest of food. They even die as a result of plunging into open drains behind our houses. Those survive by chance are killed after being severely battered by people while trying to get food in marketplaces or on the streets. The Jharkhand government has established animal hospitals in each district’s towns. However, you cannot fathom greater treatment than what is provided in those hospitals, which lack even the most basic arrangements. If these creatures are used appropriately, they can be extremely beneficial to our society. A few years ago, a letter from the Indian Police Training Center in Chennai was sent to the Superintendents of Police in all districts of the country, requesting that every police station in Naxal-affected areas feed and raise the dogs living in their area in order to prevent Naxalites from attacking police stations in the future.

Although this instruction was not strictly enforced, there have been reports of positive results from areas where such steps were implemented. Because Jharkhand is one of the country’s most insurgent states, this experiment is predicted to be extremely successful. While indiscriminate forest cutting has pushed wild animals’ lives to the brink of extinction by encroaching on their habitat and food, it has also made it difficult for animals like cows, bulls, buffaloes, and dogs, who have coexisted with our human society for centuries, to find food. These days people’s attitudes have shifted dramatically. They have become more greedy than before. They no longer want to leave their high-rise homes to feed the mute beasts who roam the streets. This could be referred to as change in worldly terms. By the way, this is not just happening in Jharkhand, but all around the country. Every citizen of this country has been given the significant responsibility outlined in Article 51A of the Indian Constitution. Similarly, in our Sanatan Dharma, we are encouraged to be friendly to mute creatures. Unfortunately, both of these are losing importance. In fact, people are now unwilling to accept responsibility for the country’s quiet residents. In addition, our social fabric has shifted to the point where people who advocate for the rights of these vulnerable creatures are being questioned. Every day, the situation becomes more disappointing. Our Constitution may strongly support these helpless creatures, yet our public representatives have never raised any questions in Parliament or in  legislative assembly on their behalf. Anyway, this is not to be anticipated of individuals who practice vote-bank politics.

(Author is a columnist. The views expressed are personal opinion of the author.)