Andhra Pradesh

SPCA committee abolished

Kakinada: The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Kakinada, had its working committee abolished by ex-officio president and Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi owing to detection of irregularities in its functioning, some of which were recently pointed out by the Animal Welfare Board of India.

The charges framed against SPCA secretary S.S.R. Guru Prasad, treasurer K.G. Lunani and members of the so called “core committee” by inquiry officer and Kakinada RDO G.C. Kishore Kumar included negligence in taking care of the animals, misusing funds mobilised by way of private contributions and using almost half of existing two acre campus located near Nagamallithota junction for purposes other than animal welfare.

Besides, a python and a peacock were illegally kept in cages on the SPCA premises and were subsequently left out in the jungle days before the inquiry was instituted, instead of handing them over to wildlife officials.

Criminal cases were booked against the accused persons, who virtually monopolised SPCA activities and took decisions unilaterally.

“Even a person who is not at all connected with SPCA could question its activities under the law,” the RDO told media persons.

Guru Prasad got his own house constructed in a corner of the premises where animals were supposed to be sheltered and embarked on building a commercial complex in blatant violation of norms. The plethora of complaints by animal lovers, including the one by the daughter of a Canadian High Commissioner, who happened to see at SPCA a cow severely injured in a road accident and left to fend for itself during her recent visit, brought the irregularities to the fore.

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