Bio-control

There are libraries of jokes about the huge policemen of Haryana. Often, by insinuation, it is meant that anything that grows huge in size, has compromised on some grey matter. Of course, history is replete with people of minor stature who have enjoyed making their case of higher brain power over brawn (Woody Allen for e.g):)


So, it was a very pleasant surprise to learn that a very ingenious way of bio-control was thought up and practised by our own Haryana Police and that too in the famous "milky-town" of Karnal. BBC reports the story of enterprising Thaanawalas (police station) in Karnal who have used domesticated white mice to maraud the hoardes of rats that feast on ...interestingly paper, clothing and jute sacks of narcotics..! hmm... !!

"Innumerable rodents have invaded the Moharar Maalkhana [record room] and we have been helpless," said the senior superintendent of Karnal, Arshinder Singh Chawla.

"These rats or mice are voracious eaters and have chewed up vital papers, clothing and even the jute [rough fibre] sacks we normally use to store narcotics, illicit alcohol and weapons confiscated from criminals and crime scenes," he said.

The unusual experiment in the police compound at Karnal has attracted the attention of university animal biologists. Mr Chawla has already had a number of queries from the small animals lab of the Haryana Agriculture University at Hissar.

I wonder if Hissar Univ will start churning out their own version of cloned “mice” with steel teeths perhaps..?OR a new breeding program of buffalos with mice..to make “Miffalos”? I just hope thats not considered sacrilege.

Operations to remove landmines laid along the Indian-Pakistan border in 2002 became increasingly precarious after it was discovered that rats had moved hundreds of anti-personnel mines from their mapped locations.

I bet that sounds hilarious, but I shudder at the implications! Also perhaps a very easy way of de-mining the border.. (like that is ever going to happen). Just stick some sweets to the mines and bury them. When the “Parakram” is over, unleash the rats to retrieve the mines!! voila..!!