MENACES MAJOR AND MINOR

LINKED TO ABC WEDNESDAY

M is for Menace

For the last few days, I had been thinking about the world order, we inhabit, where terribly sinister happenings are raging and we can’t but accept them helplessly. Immense empathy for the victims, gnaws our insides, though. Alternatively, we feel frustration and depression at our inability to intervene. That is all.  Terrorism is a painful reality of our times. Hair-raising accounts of the brutal beheading of aid workers and a few others have shaken our faith in the goodness of man. Mentally, we feel drained and hopeless. Man has become such a dreaded animal on the face of earth, shames us internally.

The worldwide arms race for manufacturing and acquiring weapons, ostensibly for self-defense has fed hubris at the cost of human values. The terribly destructive two world wars haven't taught us any lessons. Greed for annexation of territory belonging to the other lurks menacingly in some hearts. Why can’t we live in peace and goodwill towards all during the short time we are blessed with? Sowing seeds of hatred and revenge only lead to bloodletting, which jeopardize innocent lives. All religions teach love and compassion. Then why are we witnessing disruptions, death and destruction, which belie any justification whatsoever? No answers are forthcoming.We all know that we come into this world empty handed and leave likewise. Why then there is so much of pain and suffering?

Poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy represent grave situations in many parts of the world. They breed numerous social evils and result in untold sufferings to  millions. These can be partially overcome by  judicious intervention of rich nations with ample resources. 

Some man made disasters like floods and droughts can be taken care of via better planning, conserving water and developing scientific irrigation systems.

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On a micro level, I’d zoom in on a menace which is mostly India specific but deadly in its nature and spread. It has been written about ad nauseam, but shockingly has remained unsolved. I’m talking about the palpable stray dog menace in India. Sometime back, I wrote about it in a fit of intense concern after reading a news item, where a couple of children were mauled to death by a pack of stray hounds. Nothing happened to rectify the situation after the tragic incident.

I’m again at it due to a recent personal shock which propelled me to share it with you. The other day, dear hubby went for a walk in the park close by, at dusk. I was surprised when I heard him coming back after a few minutes. To my anxious queries at the door, he blurted out that a dog that came suddenly from behind without any provocation had bitten him. It was a vicious attack on both legs. On the left leg under the knee and on the inner side of the right thigh. One wound was deep red and the other was bleeding. One does get panicky in such unexpected events and imagine the worst. We hurriedly washed the wounds with soap and water. Luckily, a practicing doctor lives nearby and he had the necessary injections as well. Later we came to know that the same bitch had bitten four others too and still wanders freely.

Apart from pain, discomfort, and stipulated five injections at specified intervals, physical activity gets a beating. Also a blow to the freedom of movement.

Another fall out is that I feel scared and it'll be some time before I venture out for a walk and that too with a stick in  hand. To make up, we walk up and down in our driveway.

The moot point is why our bizarre laws prohibit eliminating even dangerous and mangy stray dogs. Moreover, they lack other means of prevention. The insensitivity of  animal lovers to human fatalities, from stray dog bites is beyond comprehension. Some victims are too poor to afford the expensive anti-rabies injections and die. The authorities sleep over the complaints. Making genuine efforts to adopt other measures like sterilization to control their burgeoning population entail comprehensive long drawn policies.

In the prevailing scenario, our life is at the mercy of hordes of freely roaming daring canines in our environs.

Friends, welcome here as always!