Having a separate officer in every police station to handle animal welfare is a pipe dream that most animal activists have been having for ages. But it may well become a reality soon, according to Union Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan. Speaking ahead of the anniversary celebrations of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), Natarajan listed out a slew of welfare measures for animals that her ministry had prepared to place before Parliament.
Referring to the ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves around the country — especially the sanctuary at Mudumalai — she said the observations and reports prepared by the MoEF will be placed before the Madras High Court on September 29. The fate of tourism in the reserve depends on that decision and so, they have prepared their report with care, she assured.
“Establishing natural habitats for animals with adequate protection and food and as little control as possible, will be ideal. We are taking plenty of efforts to ensure this becomes a reality,” she said. She also commended the AWBI for their regulatory actions with regard to neutering of stray dogs and inspecting claims of animal cruelty in hatcheries. Only Chennai, Jaipur, Shillong and Gangtok were free of attacks from rabid or fierce dogs and this has been possible only through the concerted efforts of bodies like AWBI, she added.
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