Punjab’s Animal lovers to launch ‘no vote’ campaign against Municipal Corp.
Perturbed over the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government towards stray animals, especially cows, and pitiable condition of the Municipal Corporation’s cow shelter at Chheharta, the Anti-Crime and Animal Protection organisation has decided to launch a “No Vote” campaign in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Dr Rohan Mehra, chief of the association, said his organisation along with animal lovers would hold a protest march from Khalsa College for Women to Putlighar Chowk, where they would protest and raise awareness among the public about the issue.
He said though the Punjab Government had been collecting funds in the name of cow cess from different departments, the condition of stray cows remains the same.
He said the government opened ‘modern cow shelter’ in Chheharta, but pitiable conditions were prevailing over there leading to the death of bovines on a daily basis. He pointed out that if MC could not properly upkeep it, the authorities should hand it over in private hands.
Illegal sand mining in Dera Bassi, Forest official says police not taking any action: Punjab
Illegal sand mining is continuing unabated in a piece of Punjab government land near Chandigarh even though the Forest Range Officer of the area has complained to civil and police authorities repeatedly to take action.
Documents in possession show that the Forest Range Officer of Dera Bassi has complained to the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dera Bassi and the SHO of the area that illegal mining is taking place in forest land in Bir Peer Muchhalla and that the police is not taking cognisance of complaints made to them on the plea that the area does not fall under their purview.
However, no action has been taken yet on complaints. The officer, Sukhminder Singh, has also written to the SHO of Dhakauli Police Station bringing the same facts to his notice and pointing out that illegal mining is taking place in forest land which has washed into Ghaggar river due to heavy rains of past few years.
The official has informed the SDM and the SHO through letters dated December 6, 2021 and December 9, 2021 that there is danger to the life of the forest staff who have been verbally attacked by people involved in mining mafia.
Rohini FSL deploys new tech to identify meat samples, to help expedite slaughter cases probe
Cases related to illegal slaughter of animals, including cow, may now be solved expeditiously in Delhi with the forensic laboratory at Rohini using a new technology to identify the animal that has been butchered.
The Rohini FSL started using the Mitochondrial DNA technology in August this year, and has helped solve 22 cases of animal slaughter since then. According to officials, this is the first lab in north India to deploy the technique to identify the animal that has been slaughtered and ascertain its sex.
The laboratory has deployed an automated DNA extraction instrument and a Real-Time PCR instrument based on mitochondrial DNA technology—Mitochondrial DNA is the physical embodiment of genetic information encoded in mitochondrion—to identify the animal and its sex.
According to Delhi Police officials, the facility will help them solve cases of illegal slaughter expeditiously as they have to wait for long duration when they send the samples outside the city. The testing facility also helps in curbing the serious issue of meat adulteration, FSL officials said.
Assam Faces Rising Human-elephant Conflict Despite Govt Claims Of Mitigation Measures
Assam which has the country’s second-highest elephant population is facing a rising trend in human-elephant conflict as the forests in which pachyderms roamed gets fragmented as farms and tea gardens come up.
Train accidents, electrocution, poisoning, `accidental’ deaths like falling into ditches and even lightning strikes have led to the deaths of some 71 elephants while conflict between the tuskers and humans have seen 61 people killed during the year.
Over the last ten years a total 812 people and 900 elephants were killed as competition for land intensified. Fueled by a combination of a population boom and poverty, man has expanded his frontiers, while animals have found their jungles shrinking.
Automated flashlights keep wild elephants away from villages
Wild elephants have stopped raiding Monombolly, Thaimudi estate and Thonimudi estate in Valparai after forest department officials installed automated flashlights a week ago.
According to a senior forest department official, elephant herds used to raid ration shops in the villages on the forest fringes for rice. “A herd damaged a ration shop at High Forest Area last month. When rice bags were shifted to a temple, the herd broke open the main door of the temple and ate the rice,” deputy field director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) M G Ganesan said.
This prompted the officials to install two predator-deterrent Foxlights in Monombolly. “We installed the lights 30 feet away from ration shops a week ago. They emit red, blue and white light, giving the impression of someone patrolling. Elephants have now stopped visiting the villages.
Encouraged by the result, we installed the lights at Thaimudi estate and Thonimudi estate,” said Ganesan. “Based on the trial results, we will implement the method to check man-animal conflict in Monombolly and Valparai forest ranges.”
👉 TOI
Environment India 