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

Overzealous officials let snake charmer escape

Thursday, September 3, 2009 . Mumbai . Page 7

Early arrival of forest officials alerted Dhulanath, who was displaying two cobras at a Ganesh pandal on Sunday

A snake charmer, displaying two cobras at a Ganesh pandal, managed to give the forest officials a slip in Kamatghar Road, Bhiwandi. However, this time it was because the officials acted a little too soon.

According to sources, the snake charmer, Dhulanath, was displaying two cobras at the Ganesh pandal made by Late Pandit Nana Mitra Mandal on Sunday evening. Some youths noticed it and reported the matter to Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai. The activists visited the pandalon Monday afternoon.

"Dhulanath was displaying two cobras -- black and speckled -- in the pandal. He told us that the organisers had invited him for the snake show," said Sunish Subramanian of PAWS, Mumbai.

"Two pigeons had been tied near the snakes so as to provoke them to spread their hoods," Subramanian said. Dhulanath, a native of Madhya Pradesh, claimed to have been invited by the same organisers three years back. Sainath Pawar, the president of the mandal, denied having invited Dhulanath.

"A few days ago, a snake charmer happened to pass by. Seeing the crowd outside the pandal, he began displaying the snakes. Our volunteers forced him to go away when they noticed this," Pawar claimed.

However, Asha, Dhulanath's wife, told DNA that he was in Mumbai since last week to put the snakes on display during the Ganesh festival. A complaint was lodged in this regard with the office of chief conservator of forests, Thane circle, on Tuesday. A raid was carried out by the assistant conservator of forest AS Jadhav but to no avail. Jadhav said: "If we had gone in the evening, we could have caught Dhulanath because he usually came in the evening."

GK Anarse, divisional forest officer, vigilance, said, "This is a serious offence. Sources said the forest department officials acted under pressure. The accused would be subjected to appropriate legal action when he is arrested."

Sunish Subramanian said, "This is a gross violation of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Performing Animals Rules 1973 and 2001."


For more photos & videos on this issue please check www.pawsmumbaiphotographs.blogspot.com

A Fountain Out Of Sync

Mumbai . Saturday, August 29, 2009 . Front Page

Naturalists furious with BMC’s plan for Powai Lake

City-based environmentalists and bird experts are opposing a musical fountain which is to be part of a BMC project to beautify the Powai Lake. They claim that this fountain will attract visitors but will end up disturbing the birds around the lake. PAWS-Mumbai (Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai), a city-based NGO has filed a complaint with the local MLA and State Home Minister, Naseem Khan, requesting that the natural habitat of the Powai lake not be disturbed. The construction would endanger the existence of marine life and harm the fishes, turtles, crocodiles and other wildlife in the lake. It will also disturb the arrival of rate migratory birds to the lake.

Talking to ADC, Sunish Subramanian of PAWS-Mumbai said, “When the project got started, we personally complained about the musical fountain to Mayor Subha Raul, but she ignored our concerns. We have therefore complained to Naseem Khan. The BMC project is one unfortunate step in the wrong direction, and will disturb the birds and animals living in and around the lake.”

According to Adesh Shivkar, Environmentalist and bird expert, “Mumbai has already witnessed massive destruction of its green cover and we are seeing the harsh consequences. Instead of saving the remaining patches of biodiversity, we are further disturbing and degrading them. Powai is not just a lake, but an excellent example of a rich biodiversity habitat that harbours several species of birds, fish, and plants. Any change or disturbance will destroy this fragile and sensitive habitat irreversibly. I think we have abused nature enough. Now let leave the nature as it is.”

The beautification project, which includes a musical fountain in the middle of the lake, a jogging track, and a garden, is being done at a cost of Rs.31 crore.

Officials from the Hydraulic Department, who are having the responsibility of this project said, “The musical fountain is only part of the beautification and musical will be soft and instrumental. It will not harm marine and bird life. If environmentalists oppose this fountain, we will talk to them and find out a solution.”

PAWS activist get threatening calls

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 . ADC City . Page 6

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Rescuing birds from a home has proved to be an unrewarding experience for a member of PAWS-Mumbai, as the owner of the confiscated birds is now threatening to take revenage from him.

It may be recalled that the Mumbai’s based PAWS, an NGO, had recently initied a special drive against people who keep many birds at their homes. Two week ago, memebers of the NGO got information that Kandivli based Pankaj Pawar had kept many birds illegally in his house. PAWS-Mumbai then lodged a complaint with Vigilance officers of the Forest Department who raided and rescued 25 muniyas and five parrots from residence.

Little Angels Rescue Turtle on I-Day

Page 6 . 23 August - 29 August '09

KIDDIES SECTION

When the city was celebrating Independence Day some young volunteers of PAWS-Mumbai were busy recuing a turtle from the clutches of a slum in Bhandup. The kids were playing with the strayed wild helpless animal.

A unanimous person called on the animal helpline saying some children were bullying a turtle in the open. By then they had damaged one of its eye. They had tied a string to the head of the turtle and were dragging it on the street. Dragging it on the road made mud and small stones enter the eye of the turtle, thus causing injury to the hapless animal.

“The red-eared turtle is an exotic species not generally found in India. It is however not protected by law in India. It was rescued and the matter informed to the Range Forest Officer. It is under treatment and care of PAWS-Mumbai as of now,” said Nisha Kunju of PAWS-Mumbai.

Update

Update

Reptiles finding their way into human habitats

Page IV . Bombay Times, The Times of India . Friday 21 August 2009

Though the monsoons have not gushed in with full force this year, we still need to be prepared to tackle the common problems that creep up during the rain. With the earthy wet soil stimulating a whiff of freshness all around, we can’t stop ourselves from taking beautiful rainy strolls through the mist, muck and …. and some dangerous crawling reptiles. Yes your guess is right; we can’t ignore the snakes that worry us during monsoons. Snakes are very commonly found in our suburbs because of rich green foliage that we are gifted with. Where there is dense greenery, there will be various inhabitants as they all form a part of the ecological structure created by nature.

Snakes come out in monsoons when their burrows get filled up with water. Snakes also seek dry areas when they are shedding their skin. As more builders start encroaching forest areas for residential and commercial constructions, more of the wild life gets diverted into the city. Snakes are gradually losing their nature habitat because of which they sneak into human dwellings looking for food. City snakes primarily thrive on rats. So logically speaking, unclean residential societies which have a lot of rat menace due to delayed garbage disposal invite more snakes.
Sunish Subramanian , the Founder and Secretary of PAWS-Mumbai, an animal rescue NGO, says, “A lot of snakes get spotted during monsoons of which the most commonly found are the spectacled Cobra, Russell’s Viper, Saw-Scalled Viper, Common Indian Krait and Vine Snakes. These are all venomous snakes. The Rat Snake (Dhaman) and the Banded Kukri are also found in large numbers in our suburbs but they are non venomous.”

Talking about precautions that residents should take in this regard, he further add, “Residents should make sure that their society lawns and bushes are neatly trimmed to provide less hiding space to those reptiles. Also, since snakes bury themselves into rat holes, societies should look out for such holes and seal them.”

A snake catcher affiliated with the Mumbai Fire Brigade says, “It’s a myth that snakes come out only in the night. Most of the calls that we get from local residents are during afternoon hours when snakes get out of their burrows to look out for food.”

Killing snakes is a punishable offence but when confronted with a danger situation, we humans try to find the quickest escape possible. If you spot a snake in your vicinity do not kill it, call a snake rescue team for help. Also make sure that you stay calm and do not provoke the snake until the rescue team arrives.

For prompt help, you may contact PAWS-Mumbai Helpline on 9892179542