Dog gets marooned near Mettur | Madras High Court holds special sitting
Acting Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar and Justice K. Kumaresh Babu rushed to the court for the sitting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday
A view of the Madras High Court Building in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: PICHUMANI K
The Madras High Court held a special sitting on Saturday, a court holiday, to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) petition to rescue a dog, which has been marooned on a small patch of rocky ground since the sluice gates of the Mettur dam in Salem district were opened a few days ago. Water is being let out of the dam due to heavy rain in catchment areas.
Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) D. Krishnakumar and Justice K. Kumaresh Babu heard the petition moved by D. Prakaashganth, founder of Chennai-based non-governmental organisation Heaven for Animals, at 6.30 p.m.
State Government Pleader (SGP) A. Edwin Prabakar told the court that the water level was expected to recede in a couple of days and, thereafter, the dog would be safe. Currently, it is being fed by Fire and Rescue Services personnel using drones.
Recording the submissions, the judges adjourned the petition to Tuesday for further hearing and directed the SGP to file a status report on that day.
In his affidavit, the litigant had said that the dog was found fighting for survival over the last three days. It had no access to food since it got stranded on the rocks. Though the district administration had dropped food for it on Friday using a drone, the animal was in need of rescue.
Noting that requests had been made to permit the use of a helicopter to rescue the dog, the petitioner said there had been heavy rain in the catchment areas and, therefore, an increase in outflow of water from the dam may result in the dog getting washed away. “We hail from a land where compassion towards all living beings is ingrained in our culture. …The teachings of Vallalar and the example set by King Cibi Chakravarthi, who sacrificed a portion of his flesh to save a dove, and Manu Needhi Cholan, who epitomised the phrase Pirapokkum Ella Uyirukkum inspire us to value all lives…,” the affidavit read.
The petitioner further said that Mahatma Gandhi too had stated that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress could be judged by the way it treated animals, and sought a direction to the State Fire and Rescue Services and the National Disaster Response Force to rescue the dog immediately using a helicopter.
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