Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Injury to a horse by Police van at Churchgate station
Times City . Friday . September 11, 2009 . Page 2
Wrong turn? Police jeep injures horse
Mumbai: A police vehicle hit a horse outside Churchgate station on Thursday, bringing traffic to a standstill just as peak hour was beginning at around 5 pm. The north-bound police jeep was making an illegal U-turn near the excise commissioner’s office on Karve Road when it hit the horse, which was drawing a Victoria on the south-bound side of the road.
A senior official at Azad Maidan police station confirmed the mishap but said only the horse carriage had been damaged. The injured horse, apparently stunned, stood motionless on the street, leaning against the jeep. While passers-by milled around the police vehicle, the Victoria driver unhitched the injured animal and led it to one side where it stood quietly, bleeding from a chest wound.
The Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) despatched an ambulance to the spot. BSPCA secretary Col J C Khannasaid the horse had a deep lacerated wound on its chest, bruising on three legs, and dehydration. He said the animal had been given antibiotics and painkillers.
Traffic police sources said a U-turn was illegal unless a sign indicated it was allowed. There was no such indication where the accident occurred.
by the way its animals are treated." ---- Mahatma Gandhi
Date : 14.9.2009
To,
Senior Police Inspector
Azad Maidan Police Station
Esplaned Bldg., Gr. Floor., Near BMC Head Office,
Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai- 1.
Tel.: 22678115, 22620295, 22620697
Subject : Injury to a horse by Police van.
Reference : News article in The Times of India, dated Friday, September
Dear Sir,
This is to request you to file an FIR against the driver of the “Police Van” who has driven rashly and taken illegal turn at Churchgate as mentioned in the above-mentioned article (U-turn near the Excise Commissioner’s Office on Karve Road).
The driver has been negligent in his duties and has thus endangered the life and limb of the mute and helpless animal. Due to his negligence the poor horse has been injured grievously and thus is undergoing immense physical and mental agony.
I urge you to file an FIR against the driver and take stringent action against him so that no other driver dares to violate traffic laws and cause injuries to humans and animal, as live photos in the article is itself an evidence of the incident.
Kindly inform me of the action taken on my complaint at the earliest.
Thanking you.
Sunish Subramanian
Founder & Secretary, PAWS-Mumbai . Member, People For Animals
Hon. Animal Welfare Officer, Animal Welfare Board of India (Govt. of India)
Hon. Animal Welfare Officer, Committee to Monitor Animal Welfare Laws in Maharashtra (Appointed by Hon. the Bombay High Court)
Copy to :
The Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Police Head Quarters,
Opp. Crawford Market, Mumbai – 400 001.
The Addl. Commissioner of Police, South Region Office, Sir J.J. Road, Opp. Hume School, Nagpada, Mumbai – 400 008. Tel.: 23080024 / 23
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-1, 109 Valchand Herachand Marg, Opp. GPO, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001. Tel.: 22620453, 22671408
The Asst. Commissioner of Police, Azad Maidan Division Office, Bazaar Gate, Opp. CST Station, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001. Tel.: 22697148
----------Follow-Up-----------
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 . Page 6
Constable was behind the wheel of his jeep when it crashed into a horse carriage near Churchgate
A constable with the Motor Transport Department has been booked for negligent driving after he knocked down a carriage-drawing horse near Churchgate Railway Station recently.
Constable Sachin Jadhav was at the wheel of a police jeep when he took a U-turn near the Excise Commissioner’s office on Maharshi Karve Road and rammed into the Victoria on September 10. The carriage owner panicked and took off, leaving the horse to his fate on the road. The horse, which had sustained grievous injuries, stood motionless for over an hour before the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) was finally called in to take it to hospital.
“An FIR has been registered against Jadhav under Sections 279 and 336 for negligent driving and causing grievous injuries,” said Senior Police Inspector Bhaurao Bhawale.
However, he added, “As he belongs to the Motor Transport Department, we have now forwarded the case to them; they will initiate action against him.”
DCP K Y Joshi of the Motor Transport Department said, “I have asked for the details of the case. Investigations are on and we will take action against the constable accordingly.”
BSPCA Secretary Lt Col (Retd) Dr J C Khanna said that though the animal had sustained some serious injuries.
“It had a deep laceration on the chest. The muscles had been torn and it was bleeding profusely. We operated on it as soon as we brought it in, and it received 20 stitches,” he said, adding that it would be another month before the horse fully recuperates.
Though the horse is on the road to recovery, animal rights activists feel that stern action should be taken against Jadhav. Sunish Subramanian of the Plants and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) demanded that the driver should also be charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
“He should be suspended as well. First of all, as a policeman, he should not have been driving rashly, and when he saw the Victoria, he should have halted the jeep,” he said. He added that the owner – who has not yet turned up to claim the animal – should also be found and charged for negligence.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Horses Not Par For These Courses!
Monday, September 21, 2009 . Page 24 (Back Page)
After actress Hema Malni’s letter to the Kalyan RTO demanding action against tongawallas who ill-treat their horses, the RTO has initiated action with the help of the Kalyan Municipal Corporation, which had granted them license to run tongas. Encouraged by this, the Mumbai-based organization PAWS-Mumbai has nabbed a person who was forcibly dragging away a horse.
According to Sunish Subramanian, PAWS-Mumbai, founder, “On Friday evening at around 7pm we got a call from a person saying that a man was forcibly dragging a horse on the Eastern Express Highway”.
Subramanian informed the police control room and later reached the spot himself and helped apprehend the person. The person, who identified himself as Iqbal Basheer Sheikh, claimed that he was a resident of Kalyan and the horse owner had assigned him the job of transporting the horse to Nariman Point, where he his buyer was located.
According to Subramanian, as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which was amended in 2001, a person transporting a horse or other such animal on foot must feed and provide water to the animal at regular intervals if the distance is long.
Sheikh confessed that he had not done so and also admitted to have consumed ganja himself enroute.
It may be recalled that, recently, a house found in Kalyan in an injured condition had later died at the hospital. Talking the matter seriously, Heem Malini, had intervened in the matter of ill-treatment of horses.
However, when the PAWS-Mumbai activist took the horse to Vikhroli Police Station to register a case against the person responsible, the police merely sent him away with a warning.
What the Law says?
According to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules, 2001, a person transporting horses, ponies, mules, donkeys on foot can only travel 45 km per day, or 6 km per hour. Every three hours, drinking water should be provided to the animals and every six hours, food. Moreover if the person transporting the animal or person transporting the animals or animals is not their owner, he must carry a certifying letter from the owner.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Horse rescued from nightmarish journey
MUMBAI: An injured horse, which had a fracture in one of its hind legs and a wound on its back, was rescued on Friday night on the Eastern Express Highway, near Vikhroli, by an animal activist.The horse's handler, Iqbal Bashir Shaikh (see pic), was visibly drunk when intercepted by Sunish Subramanian of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS)Mumbai.
"I was shocked to discover that the injured animal was forced to trot all the way from Kalyan to Nariman Point, where its owner resides. According to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules of 2001, no animal can be made to walk more than 5 km during its transportation. Also, for long distance journeys, the animal must be accompanied by a vet,'' said Subramanian, adding that both these conditions were violated in this case.
However, he feels that the police must be more sensitive towards such cases so that such incidents are not repeated. "The police official on duty was booking the horse handler under the Bombay Police Act, and not the stricter Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. PAWS will meet the police commissioner D Sivanandan to sensitise the police to the cases of animal cruelty,'' he added.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Residents panic as snake found in Byculla home
Tuesday. September 15, 2009 . Metro . Page 7
The very thought still gives 23-year-old Rupesh Pawar a light shudder. On Sunday evening, the Byculla resident was watching television at his one-room home at Patanwalla Road when he saw a snake slithering on the floor of his house.
He realised that the baby serpent was the highly poisonous Russell’s Viper.
“It’s not a new thing for me. I used to catch snakes in this area during monsoon,” said Pawar. “I will hand it over to the authorities.”
Pawar said people had seen snakes crawling out of the zoo as the authorities dump garbage behind the slums.
Social worker Mahendra Gawde threatened that locals would protest if the zoo authorities did not take steps to ensure that wild animals stay within the zoo premises.
“We will launch a search operation in the area,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zoo) Chandrashekhar Rokde.
Rokde, however, was unable to identify the serpent. “This python is not poisonous,” he said, refering to the Russell’s Viper.
Sunish Subramanian of the Plant and Animal Welfare Society - Mumbai identified the serpent as a Russell’s Viper. “It is highly poisonous,” he said.
Snakes are usually spotted around in Borivli and Goregaon in the western subrubs and Malabar Hill in south Mumbai.
During monsoon, professional snake-catchers claimed to have rescued between 400 and 450 snakes.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Snakes taking to the suburbs!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 . Page 24
After the recent rains in the city, snakes are being founding increasing numbers in housing complexes. During the last three days, a PAWS-Mumbai team rescued seven snakes from residential areas of Mulund, Bhandup, Kanjur Marg, and the BARC Colony. Interestingly, most of the rescued snakes were non-venomous, like rat snakes, common wolf snakes, cat snakes and sand boas. According to wildlife experts, the city has witnessed major habitat destruction, which has resulted in animals like snakes and even at times, leopards, entering residential area located on the city’s outskirts. This monsoon, the PAWS team alone has rescued more than a hundred snakes from various housing localities in the suburbs.
According to Sunish Subramanian, founder of PAWS-Mumbai, “Since the last few years there has been an increase in the number of snake sightings in residential areas, especially in and around newly-constructed buildings.”
Subramanian however, said one reason why snakes are sighted in monsoons so frequently is that they breed some time just before the monsoon. “Their burrows or other dwelling places often get flooded forcing them to come out in the open. That is why so many baby snakes are also seen around this time.”
Narayan Rajpal, a Mulund resident, said “Our neighborhood has a lot of construction activity going on and we keep sighting snakes every other day, especially during the heavy rains.”
So as to avoid a shock:
Remove all piles of debris or garbage and trim unkempt bushes, as these are the most likely hiding places for snakes.
Fix nets on windows all over the house including the washrooms, and always keep the doors closed.
Keep pet birds away from windows and trim tree branches that touch or come to close to the windows.
Fill up all the rat holes in the compounds.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Youngsters save injured horse, PAWS evacuates
Page 3 . 13 September - 19 September '09 
Powai - 13 September 09 : An aged horse had been abandoned by its owner had been straying on the Eastern Express Highway, just got narrowly missed being hit by a vehicle. A Samaritan informed PAWS about this, but the rescue team could not locate the animal in the area reported. It was two days later again that PAWS got a call that an injured horse is roaming on the Lake Road in Bhandup. Sunish Subramanian of PAWS-Mumbai said, “We rushed to the spot and got the horse this time. We rescued it and evacuated the injured horse to the Animal Hospital in Parel.”
The horse had little blindness in one eye, and had injuries on the leg and back. The animal had gone meek and helpless of age.
In case you want to help an animal in distress call Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai, Helpline number 9833480388
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Environmentalists object proposed Musical Fountain at Powai Lake
06th September to 12th September 09 . Page 3
Powai - 06 September 09 : The musical fountain as part of the beautification of Powai Lake by BMC is not being taken well by environmentalists. They think that the corporation is turning a blind eye to their view point.In the letter they had written, “The construction of the musical fountain would endanger the existence of the marine life (fishes, turtle, crocodiles and other living beings) of the lake and also thwart the arrival of rare migratory birds in the lake. Already the up-gradation which is in progress is done by reclaiming land from the lake by dumping debris and soil on the fringes of the lake.
The presence of the water fountains etc in the lake would lead to presence of lots of visitors (and thus presence of more vehicles) in the vicinity of the lake which would in turn adversely affect the hygiene, noise levels, air pollution levels and traffic congestion”.
In this regard Vivek Pandit, a local resident and activist said, “ BMC is wasting money in the name of beautification of Powai Lake it's just to increase the market value of the property of few builders in the area. First thing BMC should do is to stop all the drainage that is coming from the residential complex into Powai Lake and as we have natural lake then why is BMC converting it into man made lake in the name of beautification. There are many development work which are very important to common public instead of which they are wasting public money in such useless work.”
Talking to this newspaper Naturalist Sunjoy Monga, said “I just want to say that anything that robs away the character of the lake should be avoided..... A musical fountain and accessories are not the most important things to save a lake...”
Bird Expert Adesh Shivkar said, “Mumbai has already witnessed massive destruction of its green cover and we are seeing the harsh consequence.... Instead of saving the remaining patches of biodiversity, we are further disturbing and degrading them. Powai is not just a lake, it is an excellent example of a rich biodiversity habitat that harbours several species of birds, fish, plant etc.... any change or disturbance to this will destroy this fragile and sensitive habitat irreversibly.... I think we have abused the nature enough.... Now let us leave the nature as it is. More than 100 Species of birds are found in Powai lake area..... Some are migratory which are sensitive to disturbance.... A musical fountain will certainly repel them from that place.... it is sad that the authorities give a deaf ear and continue to alter and abuse the landscape”.
Sanal Nair, a Powai resident and who recently took part in Mumbai Bird Race and was the part of team visited birds watching in Powai Lake area said, "People visit parks, ponds to enjoy the tranquility of the place. Setting up a musical fountain at the Powai Lake will defeat the very purpose. Also this lake is a haven for bird watchers which will also be affected. I hope better sense prevails and the lake is left untouched".
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Environment Friends Oppose Powai Lake Beautification Project
Pudhari . 6 September 2009 . My Mumbai . Page iv
Friday, September 4, 2009
Snakes-N-Doves!
Mumbai . Wednesday, September 2, 2009 . Front Page
‘Game show’ inside Bhiwandi Ganesh pandal
Bhiwandi has the dubious distinction of having a Ganesh pandal inside which animals were confined and treated cruelly. Two cobras were being constantly prodded or smacked with a stick to make them aggressively open their hoods to devotees. Two pigeons with their feet tied were also kept inside the pandal for added effect.
Interestingly, the pandal, Swargiya late Nan Mitra Mandal, belongs to Shiv Sena leader Sainath Pawar.
A snake charmer wearing saffron robes was seated inside torturing the cobras, hitting them on the head to prevent them from curling up in the small basket. This was being done to allow the continuous stream of visitors see the snakes with their hoods open.
The pigeons in the meanwhile, struggled to keep their distance from the cobras.
On being tipped off, the Mumbai based PAWS (Plant & Animals Welfare Society) Mumbai lodged a complaint with the Forest Department and the Thane Police, alleging that a Bhiwandi based Ganesh Mandal was violating the laws pertaining to wild and protected animals laws by illegally keeping two cobras and birds to attract devotees and visitors.
Sunish Subramanian, the PAWS-Mumbai activist who made the complaint said, “On Monday after we got information about the cruel treatment of protected creatures, we went across to Bhiwandi and found devotees inside the pandal taking blessings from a cobra and putting cash offering in a box. The cobra was constantly prodded to say upright. The snake charmer, Dhulanath had brought the cobras from MP. A cobra is protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and comes under Schedule – I animals.”
However, the surprising thing is that when the Forest Department officials raided the pandal, they found no animals or birds present. Obviously, the mandal was tipped off by someone from inside the law enforcement department.
When our reporter asked Sainath Pawar about the cobras and the pigeons, he denied any involvement, saying. “We did not call any snake charmer to display the cobras. The man came here uninvited, and sat in our pandal. When our workers saw him they send him out.”
However, when confronted with the photographic evidence provided by the NGO and asked how come he was aware about the man occupying his pandal with the pigeons and the cobras from two full days, Pawar refused to make any comment.
For more photos & videos on this issue please check www.pawsmumbaiphotographs.blogspot.com