Thiruvananthapuram: With Malayinkeezhu grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram taking a stand against the People for Animals shelter at Valiyarathala, the NGO is knocking on all doors to sustain its operations. Despite the shelter coming under A. Sampath, Attingal Lok Sabha jurisdiction, Thiruvananthapuram MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor too has rendered all support for its smooth functioning.
Ever since the Malayankeezhu grama panchayat came out with a unanimous resolution against the functioning of the PFA shelter, the team behind the PFA has been feeling the heat. Deccan Chronicle had reported the other day that local Kunnumpara ward member V. Sreekala had collected evidence from the locals on whether they approved the shelter or not but a majority did not object to it. But before the panchayat committee meeting, she had allegedly given a negative report against the PFA shelter. S. Chandran Nair, Malayinkeezhu Panchayat president told this paper that all the 20 members of the committee came out with a negative report against the shelter unanimously.
“It was reported before the committee that the PFA shelter was causing issues for the locals. We are waiting for the new panchayat secretary to take over charge after the earlier official was transferred elsewhere. The new official will issue an order to close down the shelter as they don’t have the licence to
function. The PFA office bearers can show their documents”, said Chandran Nair.
However, Latha Indira, PFA trustee, alleged that G. Pankajakshan, Malayinkeezhu mandalam Congress president who has been leading the protest against PFA had influenced the local panchayat leaders.
“At the same time, they did not want to give an impression to the locals that they did not take up their issue. Currently, a three-foot-high iron fencing is being erected at a cost of Rs 5.5 lakh on the six-foot-high wall around the 1.5 acre compound of the shelter. This amount should have been utilized for the welfare of the injured and abandoned stray dogs and cats”, said Latha Indira.
PFA’s office bearers allege that the local Congress neta Pankajakshan is being funded and instigated by a local property developer who has bought the adjacent plot to the PFA shelter and who was eyeing the 1.5 acre property.
