This story is from January 26, 2015

Govt intensifies action against cruelty to animals

The state government has intensified action against violation of the Supreme Court order prohibiting cruelty to animals.
Govt intensifies action against cruelty to animals

MALAPPURAM: The state government has intensified action against violation of the Supreme Court order prohibiting cruelty to animals. Deviating from its earlier stand of soft approach to cases of exploitation of animals by organizing races and exhibitions, the government has decided to take strong action to prevent such incidents in future.
In the wake of frequent reports of events including cattle races, Subratha Biswas, principal secretary of animal husbandry department has issued a special order that strictly prohibits cattle races and exhibition and training of wild animals in the state.

The order dated January 17 stated that the government has received numerous complaints regarding events such as kannu poottu, kala poottu, maramadi, uzhavu malsaram etc, in which cattle take part in races.
As per the order, these could be considered as clear violation of the Supreme Court direction banning such races.
Such events are against section 3 and section 11(1) a of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Rules. The Supreme Court order said jallikketu is also against the law and had banned the same. Training and exhibition of animals like tiger, leopard, monkey, bear, bull, etc are also considered unlawful.

Violating the ban order of the apex court, a cattle race event was conducted at Muthuvalloor near Kondotty in the district last week. Police and revenue department officials failed to stop the event organized by the local collective of farmers.
Following the direction of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the Kondotty police registered a case against 80 organizers of the event, who had also participated in the race.
Bull and cattle races were reportedly held in Kollam recently.
N Jayachandran, chairman of society of prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCA), who also represents AWBI in the state animal welfare board, said that the bulls or other cattle are not included in the list of racing animals, issued by the Supreme Court; they could be used only for agricultural purposes.
"Black money mafias are behind the races being organized across the state. The government should take stringent steps to check violation of the apex court direction, as it is not only the issue of cruelty to animals but also a matter of social security, "he said.
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About the Author
T P Nijeesh

Nijeesh has been in the field of journalism for the past three years. He is independently handling the Times of India bureau in Malappuram as senior correspondent. He was with the New Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle before joining the TOI in last August.

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