NGO appeals to the public to save serpents from harassment
In a bid to protect the animals from harassment and trafficking on the occasion of Nag Panchami (July 26), the animal lovers from the Plants and Animals Welfare Society (Paws) in Thane have decided to keep an eye on the snake charmers. They have also appealed to Thanekars to avoid indulging in superstition which may be harmful to the snakes.
Sunish Subramanian, founder, Plants and Animals Welfare Society (Paws), who will lead the drive, said, “The idea behind the tradition of worshipping snakes on Nag Panchami day was to spread the message of preserving the serpent. But, sadly without understanding the meaning, people feed milk to the snake.”
Owing to the superstitious belief, thousands of cobras, rat snakes, pythons and boars are trapped and brought to the city. The snakes, mostly cobras, are even kept hungry and thirsty for days before Mahashivratri and Nag Panchami.
A few years back, close to 10,000 snakes died every year. But the efforts of animal lovers have brought down the mortality rate by 50%.
Timber smugglers might have funded the party, claim sources
Gatari bash lands Shahpur forest officials in a soup
Mumbai: These forest department officials wanted to celebrate Gatari Amavasya, the last night before the Hindu holy month of Shravan begins and people abstain from alcohol and non-vegetarian food. But the celebration ended with the officers landing in a soup.
The incident has rocked the forest department as a senior officer of the Indian Forest Service is involved. Though an inquiry has been ordered, a source in the department revealed that frantic efforts are being made to shield the officials concerned.
According to the source, officials of the forest department from Shahpur division got together at a rivulet near Nevade checkpost in the reserved forest on Shahpur-Pivali road near the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary, some 100km from Mumbai, on July 21. Some of the officials, who were drunk, then began quarrelling.
The officials present at the spot reportedly included deputy conservator of forests, Shahpur, Anvar Ahmad, assistant conservator of forest AS Lokhande, and DB Mukane.
The source said the officials reached the checkpost in government and private vehicles and instructed the workers there to cook non-vegetarian food for them. After consuming alcohol, the officials entered a rivulet nearby.
"Initially the party went well. But after a while, when everyone was drunk, they got into a heated argument over the distribution of money," said a senior forest officer, who did not wish to be named. When local people started gathering at the spot hearing the commotion, the officials fled the scene.
The source said timber smugglers active in the region may have funded the party. The officials used three government vehicles (registration numbers MH 04 CM 6810, MH 04 AN 0622 and MGN 1224) and two private vehicles (MH 01 MA 4818 and MH 04 CJ 8241) for the party.
Range forest officer Dinesh Singh, who was among the officers who allegedly consumed liquor and non-vegetarian food in the reserved forest, denied the allegation. "We had gone for routine patrolling in the forest," Singh said. "We had organised lunch at the checkpost that was along the route."
While on patrol, giant flies attacked the officials causing irritation all over the body, he said. "So we got into the water on the advice of the local staff."
Singh claimed that the liquor bottles were brought by local people and journalists to implicate them.
Chief conservator of forests, Thane, Shree Bhagwan, said, "We are conducting an inquiry into the matter. The course of action will be decided after the inquiry."
DNA | Jul 25, 2009 | THANE | Page 5
In a bid to protect the animals from harassment and trafficking on the occasion of Nag Panchami (July 26), the animal lovers from the Plants and Animals Welfare Society (Paws) in Thane have decided to keep an eye on the snake charmers. They have also appealed to Thanekars to avoid indulging in superstition which may be harmful to the snakes.
