To create awareness about wild life conservation, animal lovers in the city have planned several activities on the occasion of 'World Wildlife Week' which is being celebrated from October 1 to 7 and World Animal Welfare Day (October 3).
Plants and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai, launched its website last week to guide people about the animal welfare laws. "At times, people are keen on protecting animals from being harmed, but they don't know how to go about with it. This website will guide them with the laws related to animals. It also possesses the important phone numbers which can help them file a police complaint," said Sunish Subramanian, founder, PAWS-Mumbai.
"We have also created an email account animalvoice@rediffmail.com, where people can post their complaints. Revealing the identity is not important while filing the complaint," he added.
The website is aimed at strengthening the organisation's campaign against elephants roaming freely in city, illegal horse carriages in city areas and market of illegal wild and exotic birds.
Another NGO Haryali had organised a lecture on wildlife in Thane by Dr Dileep Gujar, deputy conservator of forest. The organisation also has plans to arrange nature trails at Koknipada region in Thane soon as a part of its Wildlife Week celebrations.
Haryali also plans to educate the masses about the bio-diversity in Thane forest and make them aware of the various projects taken up in areas near Koknipada.
Mumbai: If you’ve ever witnessed cruelty towards an animal, but didn’t know what you could do to prevent it, the Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) now has an online alternative.
To commemorate the ongoing World Wildlife Week (October 1 to 9), PAWS has launched a website, taking the battle against animal cruelty a step further.
The main aim of the website, however, is to encourage citizens to report instances of cruelty towards animals. To access the PAWS website, go to http://animalvoiceofmumbai.webs.comTNN
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.
-- After this Article PAWS-Mumbai take-up this issue with Police by writing a letter --
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured
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 11, 2009 - Copy of News Paper Attached with this letter.
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
Cop booked for knocking down horse
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.
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, October 4, 2009 . Page 3 . Mulund Thane 
