MUMBAI, JULY 25: The decision of the Western Railway (WR) to unleash canines on unsuspecting ticketless commuters finds itself in the teeth of severe opposition from human rights campaigners, who say there is no guarantee that the dogs won't bite. Besides, they point out, it would also leave the railway vulnerable to lawsuits.They also feel the unequal battle between beast and man, which will see four dogs accompanying 120 ticket-checkers descending on commuters on railway platforms, will strip commuters of their dignity.Says an indignant D K Kantharia, president of the Passenger and Traffic Relief Association: ``This is a ridiculous and dangerous scheme. It is also unethical as neither are the dogs specifically trained to catch ticketless-travellers nor are commuters prepared to face canines. How can a dog recognise a ticketless commuter? It is not as it they wear a badge announcing the fact.'' Moreover, he asks, under what law is the railway empowered to use dogs to catch human beings.The railway,which has found ticket sales dipping to an alarming low, launched `Fortress Check' on July 10 to net ticketless commuters. During the lone raid that used dogs, at Marine Lines station on July 20, 400 commuters were nabbed and fines amounting to Rs 38,000 were collected.However, as Kantharia points out, the high rate of ticketless travel speaks for the inability of ticket-checkers to stem this menace. V N Ramachandran of the Bombay Rail Pravasi Sangh agrees. ``If ticket-checkers were diligent enough, these dogs would have been resting in their kennels today,'' he remarks.Ironically, the ticket-checking staff are themselves opposed to the use of dogs. They say canines not only pose a safety hazard, they will also further alienate an already unfriendly commuter populace from them. ``These dogs will go back after a few days. Then we shall be at the mercy of commuters,'' says a worried ticket-checker.Human rights campaigner Justice (Retd) Hosbet Suresh told Express Newsline that the use of the dogs is ahuman rights violation. ``It is an act of terror, one which shows no respect for human dignity,'' he says. If the dogs were indeed to bite someone, the railway could be sued, according to the retired high court judge.``Suppose a whole lot of people were to run, what guarantee is there that the dogs would not bite anyone in the melee,'' he asks. He adds that the sight of a man being chased by a dog is not pleasant, especially for other commuters.The canines too are not without empathy. Says Nawaz Modi, professor of Civics and Politics with the University of Mumbai: ``Forget the commuter, who will protect the dogs?'' All it takes to kill a canine is a firm kick on to a vulnerable spot on the body, she points out. Rupali Parkhe, an animal activist, agrees. ``The dog, even if it looks strong, could die if it gets a kick behind its ear or on the back,'' she says. Also, she adds, the scheme is ridiculous due to the density of commuters on the railway platforms. ``If the railway continues persists with thisscheme, we shall be forced to approach court,'' she says.
