Bengal woman raises bank loan, sells gold ornaments to feed street dogs
Driven by compassion towards street dogs, a woman in West Bengal's Nadia district has taken nearly Rs four lakh bank loan to provide food and medicines to around 400 stray canines. She spends about Rs 40,000 a month on the pariah dogs.
She has also sold her gold ornaments worth about Rs 2 lakh to bear the cost of taking care of the abandoned canines.
The woman displaying this rare love and passion towards the street dogs is Nilanjana Biswas, a housewife living in Kalyani B-11 area in the Nadia district.
Biswas has been carrying the charitable act braving opposition at home and protest from the neighbours, who resent gathering of dogs in front of their dwelling.
Her husband Bhabotosh Biswas, an Industrialist, also does not like it but her son Ashutosh Biswas, a student of class five, extends helping hands to mother in the pursuit. Her daughter, a college student, also cooperates with her.
What started five years back with a few stray dogs, the count of the benficiaries has increased to 400 since about last one year.
There are three salaried workers to prepare and distribute food to the street dogs at various places in the Kalyani town on whom she spends Rs 10,000 a month.
There is a trained person who checks and provides medicines to the dogs and train them twice a week. She said "I purchased only one dog, that is Jui, and the
rest are collected from streets or given by known persons. But all of them are dear to me."
The food served daily is no ordinary items but chicken and rice. Drinking water is provided too.
While there is a pucca kitchen with refrigerator and a store for fuel (wood) to prepare food for the dogs at home, the workers prepare rice and chicken to serve the animals in the lunch.
After completion of cooking, a male worker puts the foods in big pots and load it into an E-Rickshaw. The Toto driver is a staff of Nilanjana Biswas. Another worker, a lady, boards the Toto.
The two roams around in Kalyani town everyday stopping at different spots.
She herself travels to some places on her scooty to serve food to the street dogs and sometimes her son Ashutosh joins her.
When they reach venues, the dogs of those locality rush to gather the food.
The Toto driver, a staff of Nilanjana said,"The dogs are now familiar with the system and timely wait for us on the spots."
The Toto driver and the lady first places a few plastic pots along the road sides. Then puts chicken and rice. They also pour water separately. The street dogs are accustomed to the routine.
Sitting in their home Nilanjana Biswas said,"Earlier we were in a rented home at B-15 area in Kalyani. There were two street dogs in the neighborhood. Than the female dog delivered five puppies. And thus began the journey".
Being a patient of high sugar and suffering from heart ailment, she worries about the future of these hapless dogs.
She said, "I had approached the authority of Kalyani Municipality to ponder over the issue of street dogs so that they can be rehabilitated. But got no response. I would be happy If the Municipality does something for the street dogs in future."
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