Maneka Gandhi meets Kolkata Mayor, seeks tax waiver for NGO

Kolkata: Union minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday urged the Mayor of Kolkata Sovan Chatterjee to waive off taxes imposed on her NGO 'Ashari', so that the organisation can offer better service.

Ashari, a unit of People for Animal, a Delhi-based NGO run by Maneka Gandhi, is located at Mukundapur off EM Bypass in Kolkata.

Gandhi met the mayor at his office at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and had a discussion on how they could improve the activities of the NGO with the help of the KMC.

She even sought the KMC's cooperation to improve the drainage system and water supply to the NGO premises.

The mayor assured Gandhi that he would discuss her appeal in the appropriate body.

Gandhi even expressed her desire to work together with the KMC on various activities relating to welfare of animals.

On this issue, the mayor said that the KMC would work with NGOs only after they were referred by the Animal Welfare Board.

On January 14, 2001, the then West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah had inaugurated this multifaceted project spread over 4.4 acres.

Ashari Animal Shelter-cum-Hospital and Research Institute is one of the few NGOs that work for providing shelter to poor animals, including stray dogs.