Children and Youth Become Helping Hand to Birds

18 January - 24 January '09

Powai - 18 January 09 : Makar Sankrant is called to be the festival of kites, when people enthusiastically fly kites, oblivious to the hazard it poses for birds. During this Makar Sankrant day hundreds of bird were injured or trapped in the threads of flying kites in the suburbs.

Students and youth volunteers from Plant & Animals Welfare Society Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) had organized a First aid cum rescue camp to help the birds which get trapped and get injured.

On the day of Makar Sankrant PAWS-Mumbai team helped two eagles 16 pigeons from death. While talking to PP Nisha Subramanian of Student Wing In-charge said, “Among the rescued bird we had not found any major injury, most of the birds were trapped in the threads, so after giving first aid most of the birds were released.”

She also said even after Makar Sankrant Day they have been receiving calls about bird trapped and injured.

If you come across any such bird pls call PAWS-Mumbai Helpine 9833480388

Deer Freed from Powai Garden Mini Zoo

01 February - 07 February '09
By: Staff Reporter

Powai - 01 February 09 : Constant campaign by animal activists has finally paid off. It has taken three years for the forest department to free 85 deer from captivity in Powai Garden Mini Zoo . However, 12 deer died while being transferred to Tungareshwar sanctuary near Vasai.

The animals were kept cramped in cages and the wire mesh of the holding cage was broken at many places, resulting in injuries to the animals. Many deer had taken ill and were being looked after by a BMC appointed veterinary doctor.

Sunish Subramanian -Secretary & Animal Welfare Officer of Animals Welfare Board of India said "Following to an information our organisation Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) team visited to the spot an launched an written complaint with Dy. Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Division, Thane Office. Later the office have seized some wildlife which are as 120 kg of Deer's horns, 1 Star Turtle & 75 Live Deer's which were again handover the BMC, And offence was booked under Wildlife (Protection) Act Central Zoo Act, against 3 topmost officers BMC that is Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Hydraulic Engineer Powai, Assistant Engineer Out Side City, Assistant Garden Superintendent Powai. “

He also added, “We also filed many RTI application to get information about the deer in cage, following to the complaint Animal welfare Board of India was also send letter to forest department. This deer had been illegal enclose at BMC garden at Powai for more then 40 years as per the RTI reply received by PAWS-Mumbai".

Now they have shifted all the deer to the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary at Vasai. It is clear that since 1996 the wildlife department has failed to take action against offenders and book offenders in front of Hon. Court, because the offenders are not common citizens but government body.

In this regard while talking to to P.N.Munde, Conservator of forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park said "We had shifted the deer nearly a month age. The animals were transported in batches in special trucks as per the IUCN guidelines".

Dr. Vinaya Jangale Veterinary Doctor of Sanjay Gandhi National Park said "As deer are delicate animal, so we kept them in cages constructed in Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary over a month before releasing in to wild.”