AR-News: Bengal's 'first daughter' shines as wildlife activist

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http://in.news.yahoo.com/040406/43/2ceqo.html
Tuesday April 6, 8:45 AM 

Bengal's 'first daughter' shines as wildlife activist 
By Krittivas Mukherjee, Indo-Asian News Service 

Kolkata, Apr 6 (IANS) It is known that politics does not interest Suchetana Bhattacharya terribly, yet she likes it when people say like father like daughter.


Suchetana is a very visible face in West Bengal's newspapers and TV channels but that is not because she is Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's daughter.


"Politics is okay, but there are other interesting things," she says. A college student, she insists, however, that her interests agree with those of her father in many matters.


Wildlife, for instance. 


The strapping young lady, mostly seen in a T-shirt and trousers for "professional ease", is a budding wildlife activist who believes more in "field action" than boardroom deliberations on animal rights and such issues.


So finding Suchetana espousing the cause of wildlife and animals is a common sight. Be it a wildlife film festival, an advertisement campaign against cruelty to animals or leading a raid on an illegal animal market -- she does it all with elan.


"If you are a bird lover you should enjoy watching them in flight, not in cages," Suchetana tells prospective buyers of pet birds at a weekend animal market in northern Kolkata.


With words of advice, she and her small retinue of activists go about coaxing and cajoling and even reprimanding traders who sell caged birds, monkeys, rabbits and mongooses.


Policemen, forest officials and NGO activists help her as she persuades buyers and sellers of caged animals not to engage in the illegal trade.


"Go to a sanctuary to enjoy the birds. They look much happier there," Suchetana tells them, stopping in between to distribute forest department fliers that carry a message to stop the illegal trade in birds and animals.


As she does her bit, elsewhere in the market her activist-colleagues sing songs and counsel people to sensitise them to animal rights.


Her efforts bear fruit when citizens come forward to "tip her off" on where turtles and other endangered animals are being sold illegally for their meat. 


She listens carefully, taking down notes at times, in preparation for yet another raid - and yet another day.






the wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. he is in front of it - axel munthe

"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. 
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."      Margaret Mead
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