HYDERABAD: Animal rights activists in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh want district authorities to implement animal welfare and protection laws.
This demand by the Animal Welfare Board of India and other groups comes in the wake of reports of prized cocks being readied in Telangana state districts for the cockfights in Andhra Pradesh.
“We are writing to all the collectors in the two states to prevent cruelty on cocks. Rooster fights are generally held during Pongal when large bets are placed in the name of sport,” said Animal Welfare Board member Shreya Paropkari. A lawyer and member of the Humane Society Intern-ational India, she said the organisation had appro-ached the High Court and the Supreme Court for a ban on cockfights.
Despite there being clear rules about animal welfare, reports of the cocks being readied for fights were pouring in. “We are submitting all the evidence, including newspaper cuttings, television reports and photographs, to the district administration and departments, including the police,” she said.
Volunteers at mandal levels in all districts of the two states would be coordinating with local authorities. “As activists, we can approach the authorities and ask them to enforce the law. We cannot take law into our hands to prevent it. All necessary and lawful steps are being taken from our side,” Ms Paropkari added.
Awareness programmes for officials were being organised in areas where the activity was reported. Cockfighting are rampant in villages and towns in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur of Andhra Pradesh. It is believed that bets of about '1,000 crore are placed every year.
The High Court in December 2016 had ordered Andhra Pradesh government not to allow cockfights during Sankranti and issued a series of directions to ensure that they did not take place, particularly in West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts.
