Tuesday, April 20, 2010

दिवाळीच्या फटाक्यांनी घेतला प्राण्यांचा बळी


19 Nov, 2007

फटाक्यांची आतषबाजी... रंगांची बरसात... आवाजांचा जल्लोष... अशा वातावरणाचा काही काळ सुखावणारा दिवाळी सण मात्र शहरातल्या प्राण्यांना जीवघेणा ठरला आहे. परिणामी, पशुवैद्यांकडे दिवाळीत दाखल झालेले बरेच प्राणी किमान दोन महिने ट्रीटमेण्टसाठी हॉस्पिटलमध्ये विश्रांती करणार आहेत.

गव्हाणी घुबडाच्या नुकत्याच जन्मलेल्या चार पिल्लांनाही फटाक्यांचा सामना करावा लागला. या चार पिल्लांबरोबरच त्यांची जन्मदातीही जबर जखमी झाली आहे. त्यामुळे त्यांच्या कुटुंबाची गेले काही दिवस 'सोसायटी फॉर प्रोटेक्शन ऑफ क्रुअॅलिटी टू अॅनिमल्स' काळजी घेत आहे. घारींनाही या फटाक्यांचा सामना करावा लागला होता. ५ ते ७ घारींचे पंख भाजल्याने त्यांनाही एसपीसीएमध्ये दाखल करण्यात आलं आहे.

ठाणे-मुंबईत वन्यजिवांसाठी काम करणाऱ्या 'प्लाण्ट अॅण्ड अॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटी' (पीऐडल्ब्यूएस) या पर्यावरणप्रेमी संस्थेलाही घुबडं, कबुतरं, चिमण्या, दयाळ असे पक्षी जखमी अवस्थेत मिळाले आहेत. याशिवाय दयाळ, कबुतरं, चिमण्या फटाक्याने मृत्युमुखी पडल्याचे संस्थेच्या सुनिश सुब्रमण्यम यांनी सांगितलं.

मुक्या जीवांना उन्हाळीचा चटका


28 Apr 2008

गेल्या आठवड्यापासून उन्हाचा पारा तेजीनं वाढतोय. १८ एप्रिलला या पा - यानं ३७ अंश सेल्सिअसवर पोहोचून हंगामाचा उच्चांक गाठला होता. या दिवसागणिक बदलांमुळे सर्वांच्याच अंगाची लाहीलाही होत असून त्याचा सर्वाधिक फटका मुक्या प्राण्यांनाही बसल्याचं चित्र सध्या मुंबई-ठाण्यात दिसू लागलंय. यामुळे प्राण्यांची हॉस्पिटलं तुडुंब भरल्याचं दृष्य असून हॉस्पिटलांत दाखल झालेल्या अनेक प्राण्यांना उन्हाचा तडाखा सहन न झाल्याने आपले प्राणही गमवावे लागल्याचं उघड झालंय.


गेल्या अठवड्यातल्या तापमानातील लाक्षणिक बदलांमुळे मुंबईच्या सोसायटी फॉर द प्रिव्हेंशन ऑफ क्रुएल्टी टू अॅनिमल्स (बॉम्बे एसपीसीए) या संस्थेकडे सुमारे ३० ते ४० पक्षी सध्या ट्रिटमेण्ट घेत असल्याचं संस्थेच्या जे सी खन्ना यांनी सांगितलं. यात आकाशात उंचच उंच घिरट्या घेणाऱ्या घारी, कबुतरं, पोपट, कावळे तसंच कोकीळ पक्षांचा समावेश आहे. याखेरीज, घोडे, गाई हेही दाखल झाल्याचं ते म्हणाले.

एसपीसीएच्या ठाणे शाखेतही दररोज सुमारे पाच ते दहा पक्षी दाखल होत असून यात पक्ष्यांचे पंख तुटणं, उंचावरून पडल्याने पक्षी जखमी होणं तसंच, इतर प्राण्यांच्या नाकातून रक्त येणं यासारख्या आजारांचं प्रमाण जास्त असल्याचं पशुवैद्यक डॉ. सुहास राणे म्हणाले.


भांडुपच्या प्लॅण्ट अॅण्ड अॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटीकडे सुमारे ३० ते ४० पक्षी गेल्या आठवड्यात ट्रीटमेण्टसाठी आले होते, असं संस्थचे सुनिश सुब्रमण्यम यांनी सांगितलं. यात घारी, घुबडं, कबुतरं यांच प्रमाण जास्त आहे. संस्थेकडे कुत्र्यांच्या ट्रिटमेण्टसाठीही रीघ लागली आहे. उष्णतेमुळे कुत्र्यांची कातडी लाल होऊन अंगावरचे केस जाणं, अंगावर जखमा होणं याच्या घटनाही गेल्या अठवड्यात ३० ते ३५ टक्क्यांनी वाढल्याचं सुनिश म्हणाले.

पाळीव प्राणी आणि पक्ष्यांप्रमाणेच वनराई असलेल्या ठिकाणी आढळणाऱ्या पशुपक्ष्यांनाही उन्हाळ्याची झळ झेपेनाशी झाली आहे. यात खारुताई ते थेट जंगलातल्या सापांनाही या समस्येने ग्रासंलंय. जंगलातील साप वस्तीत येण्याचं प्रमाणही सध्या ४० ते ४५ टक्यांनी वाढलं असल्याचं मुलुंडचे सर्पमित्र संदीप मोरे यांनी सांगितलं.

दिवसागणिक वाढत चाललेल्या या प्राण्यांच्या समस्येवर तोडगा काढण्यासाठी हॉस्पिटल्सची वाट प्राणीमित्रांनी धरली आहे. मात्र, हॉस्पिटल्समध्ये असलेल्या प्राण्यांच्या गदीर्मुळे तसंच पशुवैद्यकांच्या कमतरतेमुळे अनेक मुक्या प्राण्यांना आपले प्राणही गमवावे लागले आहेत.

वाढत्या उष्म्याचा तडाखा गेल्या आठवड्यात परळमध्ये दोन गायींना बसला आणि त्यांनी जागीच प्राण सोडले. तर, ठाण्यात एक घोडा गतप्राण झाला. दिवसेंदिवस उष्म्याचं प्रमाण वाढत चाललंय आणि बाष्पीकरणामुळे पाण्याचे स्रोत आटत चाललेत. पाणवठे कोरडे पडू लागल्यानेही पशुपक्ष्यांना त्याचा फटका बसू लागला आहे.

प्राणीमित्रावर जीवघेणा हल्ला

28 Oct, 2007

- मुंबई टाइम्स टीम, ठाणे

वन्यजीवांसाठी अहोरात्र झटणाऱ्या प्लाण्ट अॅण्ड अॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटीच्या प्राणीमित्रांवर शुक्रवारी रात्री साडेआठच्या सुमारास जीवघेणा हल्ला झाला. या हल्ल्यात चौघे जखमी झाले आहेत, तर एकाला जबर मार बसला आहे. हे प्राणीमित्र खारेगाव इथे साप पकडण्यासाठी गेले असता ही घटना घडली.

प्लाण्ट अॅण्ड अॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटीच्या सुनीश सुब्रमण्यम् यांना शुक्रवारी घरी साप आल्याचा, एक अनामिक फोन आला. संबंधित सापाला पकडून त्याला जंगलात परत सोडण्याच्या उद्देशाने क्षणाचाही विलंब न करता संस्थेचे प्राणीमित्र खारेगांव इथे साप पकडण्यासाठी पोहोचले. एका बास्केटमध्ये असलेल्या सापाला यांच्याकडे फोनवर सांगितल्याप्रमाणे हस्तांतरितही करण्यात आलं. पण, साप पकडून संस्थेच्या व्हॅनमध्ये बसल्यानंतर तिथे असलेल्या जमावाने अचानक हल्ला चढवला. या हल्ल्यात व्हॅनवर दगडं फेकण्यात आली, बांबूने फटके मारण्यात आले. व्हॅनच्या काचा फुटल्याने आत बसलेल्या संस्थेच्या एकूण चार जणांना या प्रसंगाला सामोरं जावं लागलं. घडल्या प्रकरणात राम माखिजा या संस्थेतल्या कार्यर्कत्याला जबर मारहाण झाली. त्याला कळव्यातल्या शिवाजी हॉस्पिटलमध्ये उपचारासाठी दाखल करण्यात आलं आहे.

कळवा पोलिस स्टेशनकडे या संदर्भात गुन्हा नोंदवला आहे. कचारू घाडगे, प्रसाद गायकवाड, ओमप्रकाश जैसवाल

आणि सावित्रीबाई जैसवाल यांच्यावर गुन्हा दाखल केला गेला आहे.

संस्थेच्या सुनिश यांना ज्या सर्पाबाबत सांगण्यात आलं तो सावित्रीबाई जैसवाल यांच्याकडून ताब्यात घेण्यात आला होता. त्यामुळे ही घटना ठरवून केली गेल्याचं प्लाण्ट अॅण्ड अॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटीच्या सुनिश यांचं म्हणणं आहे. तर, पोलिसांच्या मते, ही घटना सावित्रीबाई जैसवाल यांच्या सांगण्यावरून झाली आहे. तिच्या सांगण्यावरून हा हल्ला करण्यासाठी या जमावाने दगडफेक केली गेली.

Monday, April 5, 2010

‘BMC’s stray dog birth control plan is a farce’

Mumbai, March 14, 2010

RTI QUERY REVEALS Same NGOs are on scheme's implementing, monitoring teams


The city’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for stray dogs is a farce, claimed an animal rights’ activist who filed a Right to Information (RTI) query on the subject.

Sunish Subramaniam Kunju, founder and secretary of Plant and Animal Welfare Society, who filed the RTI application, was shocked to find that the non-governmental organisations that implement the birth control programme are also on the committee that monitors it.

“This is not correct,” Kunju said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, refuted this saying that the monitoring committee was formed according to the directions of the high court.

BMC’s Executive Health Officer, Dr Girish Ambe, said: “It is not that the NGOs that are on the committee are completely responsible for monitoring the programme. There are senior BMC officials who are also on the committee.”

The Bombay High Court had laid down the guidelines for dealing with stray dogs and the methodology for their population control, following a writ petition.

“The monitoring committee of the animal birth control programme should comprise those who do not implement the birth control programme. This way, one can ensure transparency and efficiency,” said Kunju.

He has written to the BMC highlighting the improper implementation of the programme.

He said the birth control centres should be entrusted with an area of functioning to ensure that proper and timely action can be taken.

NGOs nearest to a particular zone [out of BMC zones] should be in charge only of that zone.

“An NGO assigned Borivli comes to Mulund just to complete the given quota,” said Kunju. “This leads to problems,” he added.

One dog put down every eight seconds


Monday . February 22, 2010 . Front Page

Matunga’s dog sterilization centre is in bad shape. BMC has announced many plans to get rid of the stray maniac but no major steps have been taken so far to provide right option towards the same. Sterilization is a proven way to reduce the numbers of stray animals who get into trash, defecate in neighborhoods, and bite or attack people and pets. However, so many dogs in the overcrowded city shelters or sit-in cages at overflowing rescues centres are endlessly awaiting to be adopted.

Pets can reproduce sooner than you think. Animal activist Sunish Kunju said, “People are the problem not the animals. About one dog every eight seconds - almost 4 million - are put down in our country shelters each year.” The animals in these shelters are not always mongrels from the streets. Many offspring of family pets, including purebreds abandoned on the streets also find their way to the shelters.

“Stray dog are dumped in animal van in a very cruel state, but enough good homes couldn’t be found. Whatever the reasons, the results are the same - unwanted animals end up in shelters and rescues and on the streets all over our communities. The only 100 percent effective method of birth control for dogs has failed miserably because of bad state of sterilization centers in city,” added Kunju. The treatment meted to these dogs by the sterilization centres’ staff is hardly decent.

Sterilization centre in Mumbai
There are very few sterilization centers in the city and even fewer are in any decent functional condition. The shortage of centres has led to a major flaw in the way these centres nab dogs. The BMC has not allotted the sterilization centre an area around itself. The problems multiply themselves as a van from Andheri has to come to Mulund to pick up stray dogs and to maximize their trip, they stuff the dogs inside. The stray dogs are caught using a net and dumped in the can along with the same net. Kunju suggest that the centres should starts working on the area around it and then gradually it can expand.

The Monitoring Department
It consists of one person from the BMC and one from the NGO who is involved in the sterilization centres. There are many NGOs who are currently working in the welfare street animal but are not involved in the sterilization centre. Kunju suggests that if members of this kind of NGOs are made members of the monitoring department, the person would keep a good check over the flaws. In fact there are many private groups which use the BMC logo on their identity cards and people come under the impression that “BMC kutto ko leke gayi hai.”

The entire system of keeping the dog population under control in the city has failed owing to the lack of will of the BMC. There are flaws from step one. The silver lining to this dark cloud is that the step the BMC has to take are well chalked out, they only have to take the initiative.

Animal Birth Control goes astray

Monday . March 15, 2010

The city’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for stray dogs is a farce, claimed an animal rights’ activist who filed a Right to Information (RTI) query on the subject.

Sunish Subramanian Kunju, founder and secretary of Plant and Animal Welfare Society, who filed the RTI application, was shocked to find that the non-governmental organisations that implement the birth control programme are also on the committee that monitors it.

“This is not correct,” Kunju said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, refuted this saying that the monitoring committee was formed according to the directions of the high court. “It is not that the NGOs that are on the committee are completely responsible for monitoring the programme. There are senior BMC officials who are also on the committee,” BMC’s Executive Health Officer, Dr Girish Ambe, said.

The Bombay High Court had laid down the guidelines for dealing with stray dogs and the methodology for their population control, following a writ petition.

“The monitoring committee of the animal birth control programme should comprise those who do not implement the birth control programme. This way, one can ensure transparency and efficiency,” added Kunju. He has written to the BMC highlighting the improper implementation of the programme. According to his suggestion, the birth control centres should be entrusted with an area of functioning to ensure that proper and timely action can be taken. The non-governmental organization nearest to a particular zone [out of BMC zones] should be in-charge only of that zone. “An NGO assigned Borivali comes to Mulund just to complete the given quota, this leads to problems,” he added.

The increased rubbish piles and buildings have made an apt urban habitat for stray dogs that have multiplied to alarming numbers and even cause safety problems in some areas. Endeavours to prevent animal cruelty should perhaps now also look into scientific and humane ways of controlling the menacing increase in number of stray dogs.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

PAWS-Mumbai Activities ……………..

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is essential in conserving local wildlife populations and is critical in sustaining the balance of nature and countering multiple manmade threats that are so recurrent in a city. Rescue and rehabilitation translated mean the science of treating and providing temporary care for injured or displaced wildlife and the subsequent return of healthy individuals to appropriate habitats. Till date, the PAWS – Mumbai rescue team has rescued many snakes, parrots, mongoose, monitor lizards, muniyas, kites, owls, treated them and thereafter released them back into the wild. All this work has been acknowledged and backed by the city’s wildlife department. Keeping watch on wildlife trade & organizing raids.


Humane Education

With the help of mediums like video screening, live talks and interaction, the PAWS-Mumbai tries to create awareness about animal welfare and inform the public about animal laws and issues related to it. PAWS – Mumbai strongly feels that humane education is essential if the condition of animals has to improve.


Adoptions & Re-homing

Innumerable homeless and abandoned animals have been re-homed through our adoption Scheme. Adoption is done only after rigorous interviews.


Legal Issues & Cruelty Cases

Members of the PAWS – Mumbai team and Honorary Animal Welfare Officers also investigate cruelty cases, which include rescue calls. PAWS – Mumbai also initiate action against people inflicting cruelty on animals and inspect circuses and zoos. Inspection reports are thereafter sent to the respective authorities to further investigation.


First Aid for Strays

PAWS – Mumbai trustees and volunteers personally pound the pavements treating injured animals. Almost every evening and after work hours, PAWS - Mumbai volunteers go seeking out sick, injured animals on the road and give them needed first aid. At times, the volunteers forward cases to the veterinarians or take them to nearest hospital by ambulance; in past we use to take them by bike or a hired vehicle. There have also been instances where members of the group have treated and removed maggots from the animals like dogs, cats and cows.


Ambulance Service *

PAWS-Mumbai as two ambulance to help city animals in distress, one of it is run to attend (take) accident, wounded, ill stray animals calls to the nearest clinic or to the hospital. And other one is especially use for wildlife rescue found in city limit and we also provide our ambulance to wildlife department for transport of rescued wildlife during raids.


Vaccination

As everybody know that Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stopped killing dogs. Unfortunately, they have done little to assist in the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for street dogs.

The PAWS – Mumbai team conducts vaccination camps for stray dogs and cats so that they are immunized against rabies. These animals are also de-wormed on a regular basis.


Help & Co-ordinate with Other Like Minded NGOs

PAWS – Mumbai aims at helping and co-ordinating activities with other like-minded NGO’s so that it can reach out to more animals. At PAWS – Mumbai, we sincerely feel that the animal welfare movement should grow and in keeping with our mission, ‘together we can and we will make a difference’ will happen only when we co-ordinate our activities with other like minded NGOs.



Tree Plantation & Illegal Tree Cutting Issue

PAWS-Mumbai also undertakes tree plantation drives and takes up cudgels on the behalf of those who oppose tree cutting. For example, if someone complains about illegal tree cutting in their neighborhood, we follow up the complaint with an investigation and also inform the local Police and BMC authorities about the misdemeanor.

* Condition Applicable