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No bark, all spark: Strays shooed away as GU spruces up for NAAC inspection | Ahmedabad News


Ahmedabad: With accreditation aspirations running high, Gujarat University (GU) is pulling out all the stops to impress the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) team that is on a three-day visit from Jan 28. From applying fresh coats of paint and renting electric carts for effortless movement for NAAC officials, to even laying out red carpets for them, GU has transformed the campus. However, the changes aren’t aesthetic alone. Sources have confirmed that the university has shown the door to about 50 stray dogs living on the campus.
“The usual sight of dogs lounging in shaded corners or playfully chasing each other across campus is missing. Even the daily visits of dog feeders — who would arrive in the mornings and evenings to care for the canines — have been put on hold for the time being. Security personnel have been strictly instructed to keep stray dogs at bay as animals roaming the campus could leave an undesirable impression on the assessors and could potentially affect GU’s grading,” said a university source.
While GU’s efforts to maintain a polished look are evident, the move to clear the campus of its long-time canine inhabitants has sparked murmurs among animal lovers. A group of seven dog rescuers and animal lovers from Ahmedabad, requesting anonymity, wrote an email to the executive committee chairman of NAAC, state education department, GU and the University Grants Commission, bringing the eviction of stray dogs from the campus to light. TOI has procured a copy of the email.
Besides removing stray dogs, the university administration is tackling another persistent nuisance — monkeys. Firecrackers are being burst throughout the day to deter the simians, with the unintended effect of keeping even the dogs from returning. “Monkey menace is a big challenge. We have deployed staff to burst firecrackers at intervals to prevent them from causing chaos. This also discourages stray dogs from returning to the campus,” said GU registrar Piyush Patel.
Notably, GU’s action is in stark contrast with some other premier institutes in Ahmedabad, where student communities nurture and provide for the cats and dogs on the campus. Institutes including the National Institute of Design, Mica, Gujarat National Law University, and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad have introduced such humane practices.
The law on dog relocation
The Supreme Court, in its various orders, has mentioned that relocation of dogs cannot be permitted. Under Stray Dog Management Rules 2001, it is illegal for an individual, resident welfare association, or estate management to remove or relocate dogs. The dogs have to be sterilised and vaccinated and returned to the same area. Vaccinated and sterilised dogs cannot be removed by the municipality either.





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