Pune: Desperate Plea By Pet Owner Highlights Non-Functional Animal Incinerators Near Naidu Hospital

Ikshaa Dhodi

Pune, 5th October 2023: Dnyanashree Patki took to social media to express her shock and dismay over two non-functional animal incinerators near Naidu Hospital. She had brought her recently deceased pet dog to the facility, only to discover that the incinerators were out of order. 

“Animals have been stacked inside the incinerators for the past few days,” she said in her post, tagging the official account of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Official Responses

Yogesh Hendre, Public Relations Officer (PRO) at PMC, stated, “We are aware of the incinerator issue, and it should be operational by tomorrow. The electrical department is fully informed about the current situation and the storage of deceased animals.”

Dr. Sarika Funde, Civic Veterinary Officer at PMC, echoed Hendre’s sentiments, adding, “The situation with the animals is entirely dependent on the tenders and the electrical department.”

Nishikant Raut, PRO at Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), clarified, “We are only responsible for supplying electricity to PMC. What happens there is entirely up to them.”

Lack of Transparency

A press note released by PMC on October 4 mentioned that the incinerator for larger animals would be non-functional for a few days. However, it did not address the status of incinerators for smaller animals, leaving pet owners like Patki in the dark.

Unanswered Questions

Shrinivas Kandul, head of PMC’s electrical department, was contacted for a comment but did not respond to calls and messages regarding the issue.

Conclusion

The non-functional animal incinerators near Naidu Hospital have raised concerns among pet owners and prompted questions about the management of such essential facilities.