03. Eco News - 12

1Eco News, Vol. 18, No. 3 October - December 2012

Eco News, Vol. 18, No. 3 October - December 20122

Established in 1989

✯ 1980 - The C.P. Ramaswami AiyarFoundation starts nature education forteachers and students.

✯ 1989 - C.P.R. EnvironmentalEducation Centre (CPREEC) establishedjointly by the Ministry of Environmentand Forests and the C.P. RamaswamiAiyar Foundation as a Centre ofExcellence of the Ministry ofEnvironment and Forests. Governmentof India.

Our Mission

✯ To increase knowledge, awarenessand interest among the public about theenvironment in all its aspects

✯ To develop resource materials forenvironmental education andawareness raising

✯ To conduct training programmes for awide cross-section of people

✯ To take up environmental projects fordemonstration and research

Our Activities

✯ Training and awareness raising✯ Awareness to and through action✯ Awareness programmes in ecological-

ly fragile areas✯ Conservation of the ecological heri-

tage✯ Research and surveys✯ Generation of resource materials✯ Exhibitions✯ Courses, seminars and symposia

Facilities

✯ Environmental Laboratory✯ Library✯ Computer Division✯ Publications Division

Geographical Spread

CPREEC’s activities extend to

✯ Andaman & Nicobar Islands✯ Andhra Pradesh

C.P.R. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE

✯ Goa✯ Karnataka✯ Kerala✯ Maharashtra✯ Orissa✯ Tamilnadu✯ Puducherry

NGO Network

CPREEC has an extensive network of about600 NGOs. All educational programmes arecarried out in partnership with selectNGOs, Universities, Colleges and Schools.

Publications

✯ Activity and information books andpamphlets for children

✯ Environmental training guides and kitsfor teachers

✯ Researched Publications✯ Colourful and informative posters✯ ECONEWS - A quarterly magazine✯ Indian Journal of Environmental

Education, a peer-reviewed journal

Exhibitions

CPREEC designs three new exhibitionsevery year and has a bank of mobileexhibitions that travel all over India.

Environmental Education

✯ Green Schools of India (GSI)✯ Training programmes for Teachers✯ Training programmes for School and

College Students✯ Environmental Law Education

Special Projects

✯ National Green Corps (NGC)✯ Biomedical Waste✯ Biodiversity Conservation

Research and Surveys

✯ Sustainable Technologies✯ Surveys of Natural Resources✯ Socio-Economic Surveys✯ Lab to Field Technology Transfer


This is a special issuecelebrating 50 years of thecreation of the AnimalsWelfare Board of in India

which came into existence in 1962,following the enactment of thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals Act(1960). Animals are a part of ourenvironment, but while thedisappearing tiger, lion and elephantare part of the public discourse, themillions of animals suffering on factoryfarms, the cruelties of the slaughterhouses, the disappearing diversity ofdomestic animal species, the agoniesof cattle packed into lorries andtransported over long distances to anagonizing death and many more issuesare a part of the public silence overinconvenient issues.

Traditionally, Indians grazed cattle,sheep and goats over vast stretches ofpasture land designated for thatpurpose by village elders. Hens andchicken ran around the backyard whilethe rooster was the village doubtful titleof “broiler chicken”. The cow who gavemilk continued to live after her milkingyears were over, and she died a naturaldeath. Bullocks that ploughed the fieldor pulled the cart were never sold oncetheir productive years were over. Allthat has changed.

CPR Environmental Education Centre(CPREEC) has always been sensitive toanimal issues. We serve onlyvegetarian food in our programmes. Wehave been talking about animal welfareto teachers and students and includingit in our curricula and text books. Ourcampus overflows with birds, squirrels,dogs, cats and even occasionalmonkeys, snakes and palm civets.

The following articles have been puttogether by the staff members ofCPREEC. Since our earlier issues havecovered biodiversity and wildlife, wehave deliberately omitted our wildlifefriends of the forest.

“Factory Farming” and “GeneticEngineering and Animal Suffering”touch upon two important and abnormalissues of contemporary cruelty toanimals which take place behind wallsof silence and ignorance. “Invasive andAlien Animal Species in the Andaman& Nicobar Islands” discusses theeffects of introduced species on theisland’s environment. “The SacredCow” tells us that the cow is sacredonly in name, while “The DecliningDeccani Sheep” is about the survivalof an individual breed. “Issues of AnimalWelfare in India” discusses problemsof rabies and slaughter houses.

The Todas are one of the ancientindigenous tribes of India who werebuffalo herders and worshippers whonever killed their animals or ate buffalomeat. “Sacred Buffaloes of the Todas”laments their disappearance asgrasslands are used to cultivate exoticcommercial tree species.

Finally, “Kindness to Animals inAncient Tamilnadu” reminds us thatTamil literature, especially thewritings of Thiruvalluvar, promotedkindness to animals by example andprecept. How such a culture with suchan ancient and beautiful tradition couldpromote jallikattu (bull tying), a form ofbull fighting, today is beyond mycomprehension.

Nanditha KrishnaEditor


Contents

Kindness to Animals in Ancient Tamil Nadu .............................................................. 5

The Sacred Buffalo of The Todas ................................................................................ 8

Genetic Engeneering and Animal Suffereing ............................................................. 10

Invasive Alien Animal Species of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ..................... 13

Sacred Cow ................................................................................................................... 15

The Declining Deccan Sheep .......................................................................16

Issues of Animal Welfare in India ................................................................ 19

The Ethics of Factory Farming ...................................................................... 22

Kindness Kids ............................................................................................ 25

C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre is a Centre of Excellence of the

Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, established

jointly by the Ministry and the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation.

The Centre has been set up to increase consciousness and knowledge

about the environment and the major environmental problems facing

the country today. It has been conducting a variety of programmes to

spread awareness and interest among the public, including, teachers,

students, voluntary workers, educators, farmers, women and youth, on

all aspects of the environment and ecology, with the purpose of promoting

conservation of nature and natural resources.

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Kindness to Animals in Ancient Tamil Nadu

M. Amirthalingam

During the past couple of decades, theworld has become increasingly aware ofthe harmful effects of industrialization andthe consequent destruction of biodiversity.There has been a growing realization thatwe share this planet along with myriadforms of life and that we have no right todisturb the balance of nature. In ancienttimes, too, this awareness was prevalent.“How can one, who eats the flesh of othersto swell his flesh, show compassion?”asked Tiruvalluvar in his Tirukkural (251).All the great religions of the world haveextolled the virtue of non-violence andkindness towards animals. In our owncountry, the emperor Ashoka gave upeating meat after becoming a Buddhist.In more recent times, Mahatma Gandhiwas a shining example of non-violence andthe protection of the rights of the animals,especially the cow. Recent medicalresearch has also proved that a vegetariandiet promotes longevity and health. Inthis connection, I have cited a fewexamples from Tamil literature.

One day, Chibi - a Chola king - sat in thegarden of his palace. Suddenly, a woundeddove fell on his lap. He handed over thedove to his servants and ordered them togive it proper treatment. A few minuteslater, a hunter appeared on the scenesearching for the dove which he had shot.He realized that the King was in possessionof the dove. He requested the King tohand over the dove. But the king did notwant to give up the dove. The hunter thentold the King that the meat of the dovewas his only food for that day. However,the King being compassionate wanted tosave the life of the dove. He was alsodesirous of dissuading the hunter fromhis policy of hunting animals. Hence, hecut of a portion of his own flesh whichwas equal to the weight of the dove andgave it to the hunter. The hunter wasabashed by this act of the king andregretted his violent actions. This storycan be referred to in the Cilappathikaaram.

There is another story about a Chola Kingnamed Manuneethi Cholan. This king was

Courtesy:httpwww.flickr.comphotosbalajijegan2632832945sizesoinphotostream

Courtesy:httpinterestingindianravi.blogspot.in2010_10_01_archive.html


famous for meting out justice. He hadinstalled a bell in his palace. Any aggrievedparty who wanted justice could ring thisbell. The King would then hear the caseand deliver justice. One day, it sohappened that the King’s only son, whileriding a chariot, knocked down a calf, andthe calf died. Seeing this, the mother cowwent to the palace and rang the bell ofjustice. The King came out of the palaceand was surprised to see an animal ringingthe bell. However, such was the King’sdevotion to justice that he followed theanimal to the spot where the calf had beenkilled. Grasping the situation, the Kingordered that his own son should be runover by a chariot so that proper justicecould be rendered1.

This can be referred in Cillappathikaramas Aavin kadaimani uhuneer nenjusudaththan Arumperar puthalvanai aaliyinmadithon (20:54-55); Manimegalai (3:22);the king defends the whole world; andjustice, when administered without defect,defends the king (Thirukkural -547);Heaven is the help of the helpless(Palamoli - 3). This incident is also referredto in the Puranaanooru (37, 39, 43, 46).

The Thirukkural (72) states that “Thosewho are destitute of love appropriate allthey have to themselves; but those whopossess love consider even their bones asbelonging to others”. This story alsoappears in the Kamba Ramayanam (65:7& 7:355); Kalingathupparani (93); RajarajaCholan Ulaa (5-6); Kulothunga Cholan Ulaa(17); and Vikirama Cholan Ulaa (10-11).

In Puranaanooru (9), it is stated thatwhenever the warriors prepare themselvesfor battle, they have to make anannouncement. The announcement is asfollows: “Since the war is going tocommence on such and such a day, cows,priests, animals, couples who have noissue, ladies, patients, and aged peopleare asked to go safe places”.

In another legend, the Tamil Velir Kingnamed Vaiyaavik Kopperum Pekan wasrenowned as one of the seven greatpatrons and philanthropists. The greatpoet Paranar was a contemporary of thisKing. The poet has sung about the KingPekan. His poem speaks of an incidentthat occurred when the King was touringhis country. The King saw a peacockshivering in the rain. Being compassionate,he immediately removed his gold laced silkrobe and wrapped it around the peacock(Purananooru, 145 of Paranar). “With yourelephants in rut, with your proud horses,with your fame that does not fade, Pekan,you who gave your cloak to the darkmindless peacock, because it wasshivering in the cold” (The Four hundredsongs of war and wisdom, p. 91).

Such was the rule of law in ancient timesthat Tamil poets like Silappadikaram,Kamban and Manikkavasagan havewritten about the time when the tigerwould not attack the deer. Both the tigerand deer would even drink from the samelake, such was the harmony betweenthem.

Over two thousand years ago, the greatTamil philosopher Thiruvallur said

manuyir ombi arulalvarku illenbatannuyir anjum vinai

“The wise say that the evils which his soulwould dread will never come upon the manwho exercises kindness and protects thelife of other creatures” (Thirukkural, 244).

Kollan pulalai maruthaanaik kaikoopiElla uyirum thozhum

“All creatures will join hands together andworship him who has never taken awaylife nor eaten flesh” (Thirukkural, 260).

Onnaenatan unarndavai tunnamaiVendum pirangan seyal


“Let not man consent to do those thingsto another which he knows will causesorrow” (Thirukkural, 316).(Those whohave realised what is suffering Mustrefrain from inflicting it on others).(Thirukkural, 32. 316).

And, as a warning,

Noyellam noyseydar melvam noyseyyarNoyinmai vendu pavar

“Sorrow will come upon those who causepain to others; therefore, those who desireto be free from sorrow should give no painto others” (Thirukkural, 320)

Respecting this sentiment would certainlyimprove the lives of domestic animals andthe chances of survival of India’sendangered wildlife. The Sangam Tamilpoet Uruththirankannan also says that theparrots in Brahmins’ houses recite theVedas. They repeat it because theBrahmins recite it every day(Perumpanaatruppadai: lines 300-301).

When three great Tamil kings laid siegeto King Pari’s 300 towns, Kapilar trainedthe parrots to bring the grains into Pari’sterritory. The poets Avvaiyar and Nakkirarwere all praise for Kapilar for this help(Akam -303 and 78).

Narrinai gives the information aboutparrots calling a girl in affectionate termseven after she left home. The poem isabout a girl who has eloped with her lover.The girl’s mother says that love is beautiful.However, when she sees her daughter’sfriends playing with their toys, tears cometo her eyes. The parrot also calls for thegirl (Narrinai – 143).

Ainkurunooru (391), Kurunthokai (210) byKakaipatiniyar: “Crows are attributed withthe power of predicting arrival of guests.

If the crows caw, it is certain guests willcome to the house. I attribute it to theirstrong sense of smell. When women makespecial dishes for guests, the good smellspreads and attracts the crows. They areintelligent enough to call their friends toshare the food”. Crows are used assymbols for sharing in Tamil literature.

“Crows do not conceal their prey, but willcall out to other crows to share the food.Wealth will be with those who show asimilar disposition towards their relatives”(Thirukkural, 527).

Conclusion

In this article I have tried to highlight theethical principle of justice and compassiontowards animals from the background ofTamil literature and culture. This shouldhelp students of Tamil Nadu to developkindness and justice to all animals on thebasis of their culture and tradition.

In ancient days, many followed theprinciple: “Pirapokkum Ella Uirkkum” (allare born equal – encapsulates the Tamilethos) and this manifested itself as actsof kindness and love. The generosity andkindness of the king is evident from thisact.

The ancient Indians were renowned fortheir profound respect for other forms ofcreation. Unless we, in this modern age,restore this ancient virtue and realize ourinherent harmony with nature and thebiological diversity of creation, the animalswill remain sacred in name only.

Reference.

1. Panchapakesh Ayyar, A.S., 1947,Kovalan and Kannaki: the story of the‘Silappadikaram’ Re-told, p.128, TheAlliance Company, Mylapore, Chennai.


The Sacred Buffalo of The Todas

M. Kumaravelu

The Nilgiris are the abode of tribes andrich tribal culture as all the six primitivetribes in the state - Todas, Kotas, Irulas,Kurumbas, Paniyas and Kattunayakans -have been living here from ancient times,thus making the hills the home of tribalwealth.

Entirely pastoral in nature, the lives ofthe Todas are interwoven with thebuffaloes which they consider sacred. TheTodas obtain grains from the neighbouringtribes and indigenous people as theygenerally do not practice agriculture. Theyrear buffaloes for milk products and notfor meat. “Toda economic life for centurieshas revolved around their handsome herdsof long-horned, short-legged and ratherferocious buffaloes” (Anthony R Walker).It is understood that there are two sectsof buffaloes; one is the sacred/templebuffaloes (Posther) and the domesticbuffaloes (Puthirr). The sacred buffaloesare kept under the control of templepriests and domestic buffaloes are underthe care of the Toda tribesmen. The sacredbuffaloes are milked by the priests; themilk product is used in the temples forthe lighting of lamps and the foodrequirements of the priests. It isinteresting to note that the Toda womenare never allowed to rear or milk thebuffaloes.

Economic value

The Todas and buffaloes are inseparableeven in today’s cyber era. The buffaloesare an important component in the Todaeconomy. The milk products and dung

fetch them a handsome income. Generally,the buffaloes are allowed to spend the daynear the habitations and, during the nighttime, they are allowed to enter the nearbygrasslands for grazing. The dung collectedfrom the pen is sold to the farmers nearby.They never sell the buffaloes for meat. Themilk products are sold to the localCo-operative Milk Societies and somequantity to other milk traders. Though inyesteryears the Toda economy revolvedaround milk and other products from thebuffaloes, in recent times they havestarted taking up cultivation activities andthe educated few have started working ingovernment departments.

A study by the Tribal Research Centre,Ooty (2007) says that around 62 percentamong the Todas rear buffaloes. While milkproducts from domestic buffaloes are beingsold, the milk products from sacredbuffaloes are used only for rituals in thetemples.

Social value

All the Toda settlements encompasstraditional huts along with a buffalo pen,a separate calf pen and a traditional templesurrounded by vast grassland and Sholaforests. Each Toda family owns domesticbuffaloes (Puthirr). The Toda mothers usethe buffalo milk as the main ingredientfor making butter, ghee, etc. Churning iscarried out only by the men. Milk fromthe domestic animals is never used in thetemple rituals. They use bamboo sticksfor preparing butter and butter milk.Rarely do they use the earthen potproduced by the neighboring Kota tribes.The milk products, particularly the butter


and ghee are used for external use,applying on the body and hair for makingthe unique hair style of the Toda women.

Sacred value

The Todas believe that the buffaloes arecreated by the goddess Teikirzi, or the“goddess of the mountains”. They believethat the buffaloes are fellow-beings whichare blessed by the Hindu deities calledPanja-Pandavas, and also Nanjundeswaraof Nanjangud (Karnataka). During thevarious rituals and functions, the buffaloesare donated to the temple. Whilededicating the buffaloes to the temples,the animals are driven through a stonecircle (Nurthkursh). Particularly, when aToda woman gives birth to a child, one ormore buffaloes are donated as an act ofremembrance. The donated buffalo herdis maintained as temple animals (Posthirr)by the priests. The priests churn the milkand prepare ghee for lighting the lamps atthe temple. The other milk products areused by the priests for their food. It isimportant to note that every Toda templecontains a carved imitation of the buffalo’shorn as a sacred symbol.

Among the rituals, the rituals related todeath are the most important in Todaculture and the buffalo plays a big role inthis ritual. When the Toda priest of atemple dies, the cremation can take placeonly after a buffalo is sacrificed. Thisceremony is called as a “green funeral”;and after a few days, the relics of the burntbody are collected. This ritual is called “dryfuneral”.

The sacrificed buffalo and other ornamentsand a utensil are placed near the body ofthe deceased before cremation. The Todasbelieve that by this sacrifice, the deceasedsoul will reach the other world and livewith the buffalo and the other articlesdedicated during the green funeral. TheTodas have 6 important sacred places on

the upper plateau of the Nilgiris. All thesix places have either a conical temple ora traditional half cylindrical temple. Eachplace had a herd of buffalo during the mid-nineteenth century. Now all the six placesare abandoned and simultaneously, theworship of the sacred buffaloes wasstopped. These abandoned buffaloesbecame feral and were let into the forestareas.

The Todas are unique in that they areprobably either the only or among the fewvegetarian tribes in the world. Except forthe single buffalo sacrificed at the deathof a priest, buffaloes are never killed bythe Todas.

Conclusion

In recent times, the owning of large herdsof buffaloes has been on the decline. Withthe change in the cultural ethos,particularly conversion to other religionslike Christianity, the importance of rearingbuffaloes has lost its importance.Christian Todas do not believe that thebuffaloes are sacred. However, the othersects of the Todas still have faith andbelieve in the buffalo cult.

The Todas do not practice stall feeding;they require a vast stretch of grasslandfor the buffaloes to graze. Changes inlifestyle, decrease of pasture lands due tovarious factors like afforestation ingrasslands and the submerging of thegrasslands due to hydro-electrical projectshave made a great impact on the rearingof buffaloes. Vast stretch of grass landshave now been occupied by exotic plantspecies such as the eucalyptus and wattle,scotch broom, lantana, etc., Many Todagrass lands have been leased out to othercommunity cultivators.


Apart from all these factors, Toda buffaloes

are seen in many hamlets (mundh) even

today. Out of fear and reverence the

Todas still rear buffaloes.

Reference:

1. Francis, W, 1908. The Nilgiris (Madras

District Gazetteers), Asian Educational

Services, Madras.

2. Walker R. Anthony, 1986. The Toda of

South India: A New Look, HindustanPublishing Corporation, Delhi.

3. Hockings Paul, 1989, Blue Mountains-The Ethnography and Biogeography of aSouth Indian Region, Oxford UniversityPress, Delhi.

4. Interview with Mr Pothili Kuttan ofKarsh (Kandal) mundh.

Genetic Engeneering and Animal SuffereingU. Thirunavukkarasu

Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the process ofinserting ‘desirable characteristic-carryingDNAs or genetic materials’ into the hostanimal genome. It also refers to a range oftechnologies used to manipulate thegenetic makeup of animals and plantsacross species boundaries to create ‘newgenetically variant’ organisms. Themanipulation of genetic material may befor the purpose of improved diseaseresistance, more yield, colour, milk, meat,enzyme, or protein.

The Darker Side of Genetic Engineering

Human genes are inserted into bacteria,monkey genes are manipulated with genesof mice. The use of genetically modifiedorganisms has thus grown manifold sincethe introduction of this technology. All thisis possible because of the biotechnologicaltools available today. Genetic engineeringhas positive sides, wherein a life

supporting protein/hormone like insulinis generated for the sick and needy. Atthe same time, genetic engineering hascreated chickens with four legs and nowings; goats with spider genes secrete silkwith its milk. Transgenic engineering alsohas its darker side wherein pain andsuffering are caused to the animal hosts.

Transgenic Animals and Animal Farming

Farm animals are thus subjected tounlimited suffering in the process ofgenetic engineering (Compassion inWorld Farming Trust (CIWF). Theprofit-making animal farming andpharmaceutical industries aim for higheryields - more milk, more meat - and ignorethe pain of the host animals involved in it.Pigs are born with weak legs, chickenwithout wings, animals with damagedinternal organs, etc. In the race to createmore ‘profitable new farming animals’, thepain and suffering of the victims is largelyignored by the technocrats of geneticengineering.


Animal Suffering

The journey to produce desirable ‘animalproducts’ by using biotechnological toolscreates untold suffering to generations ofbreeds before the final transgenicorganism is created. “Dolly” might be thesuccessful cloned sheep, but severalgenerations of sheep have suffered toarrive at ‘Dolly- the cloned sheep’. Forevery successful genetically modifiedorganism, there are hundreds of deaths.The unsuccessful ones or ‘invalids’ aredestroyed to maintain the purity of thestrains. There are untold stories aboutsurgeries, invasive procedures to harvesteggs, embryo extractions andimplantations on the experimental animalsduring the process of creating geneticallymodified organisms. Even worse, theprofit-oriented animal farming industrytries to satisfy the customer by creating‘designer animals’.

The method of creating geneticallymodified organisms may be by pronuclearmicroinjection, gene targeting inembryonic stem (ES) cells or blastocystmicroinjection. Unfortunately, however,the procedure adopted is highly invasiveand painful to the animals.

Pharmaceutical Farming

Through pharmaceutical farming, wholeflocks and herds of non-human animalsare used as living laboratories to producemedicines, nutrients, hormones andenzymes. This technique is being widelyused to generate supportive medicinesand nutritional supplements for humanbeings. The growing need for medicinesand exploration in transgenic sciences willfurther intensify the pain and suffering ofthe hapless animal victims.

Genetic Engineering - Boon or Bane?

Genetic engineering was once thought tobe a great boon for medicine and othersectors. Unfortunately, there are manysurprises that arise out of the process ofexperimentation. Even the technocratsand scientists involved are caught oftentimes unaware by their own actions.

Traumatic Experiences of TransgenicAnimals

Transgenic engineering has made animalsuffering multifold in recent times. Thesufferings are many, the mental traumais unimaginable. Here are a few examples:

New health problems: Transgenicengineering may create new healthproblems among subjects of scientificintervention. Re-engineering of genomiccomposition may also create new sets ofhealth and disease combinations andimmune response to it. The existingveterinary or animal science may not giveproper clues to the scientists involvedabout the ‘new health risks’.

Developmental abnormalities: Theprocess of creating new breeds andbreeding stocks also throws up newdevelopmental abnormalities among thesubject animals.

Pleiotrpism: Expression of single ormultiple genes on the animal’s phenotypemay actually increase animal suffering.

Disease resistance and vulnerability:Animals have to lead their lives with co-habiting organisms and fellow species. Theaim of producing disease resistant varietyof species may open up the organism’sgenome, thus making it vulnerable to otherdiseases in the real life environment.


Genetic disorders: Transgenicengineering sometime throws up newgenetic disorders because of ‘new genomiccombinations’. Diabetic mice were curedwhen the gene for human insulin wasinserted into its genome, but the mice diedlater due to excess of insulin. Inbreedingand breeding among defective generationsmay add to the problem.

Production-related diseases: Theaspiration to get more yields from livinganimals in terms of milk, egg, fur and otherbody fluids may force excessive strain onthe animals. Stressed out animals sufferand contract diseases due to their lowimmunity and resistance.

Ethical issues of animals in geneticalengineering

Use of animals in genetic engineeringprocedures is an issue of controversy rightfrom its inception.

♦ Use of transgenic technologies inindustrialised animal farming andpharmaceutical sector rakes up theissue of ‘commercialisation of lifeforms’ and treating them as‘commodities’. The reverence for lifeis lost in the process.

♦ There is a wide resentment amongmany about combining and crossingover the species barrier artificially bya scientific procedure.

♦ The process of altering the geneticcomposition of any animal isconsidered unethical in manycountries

♦ It is also unethical to creatediseased animals and thus causesuffering.

♦ The bio-centric ethical stand pointbelieves that nature has bettertools to select and alter the speciescomposition rather than tampering bygenetic engineering by humanbeings.

♦ The process of evolution over manymillennia has selected, combined,invented and re-engineered many lifeforms and destroyed many.Meddling with the evolutionaryprocess is wasteful and destructive.

There are many sociological,psychological, religious and ethicalconcerns over the use of animal life formsin genetic engineering. In April 1996,“Grace” - a transgenic goat with thepotential of secreting an anti-cancer drug- was born. Later, in 1997 “Rosie” - atransgenic calf that produced milkcontaining necessary nutrients forpremature infants - was created.Xenotransplantation is a new transgenicscience, where compatible vital organs arecultured and transplanted to humanrecipients from other host animals (pigs).The birth of “Dolly” - the first clonedmammalian sheep - opened up new vistasin genetic engineering. While recognizingthe need for opening up new avenues ofexplorations in science, surely we can finda way of doing so without causingunimaginable suffering to our fellow livingbeings.

References:

1. www.euroveg.eu

2. www.wikipeadia.org

3. www.ucsusa.org

4. www.journals.elsevierhealth.com

5. www.dikseo.teimes.gr


Invasive Alien Animal Species of theAndaman and Nicobar IslandsA. Gopal

Invasive alien species are plants, animals,pathogens and other organisms that arenon-native to an ecosystem and which maycause economic or environmental harm oradversely affect human health. Inparticular, they adversely impactbiodiversity, including decline orelimination of native species - throughcompetition, predation, or transmission ofpathogens - and disrupt the localecosystems and its functions.

Invasive alien species introduced and/orspread outside their natural habitats haveaffected native biodiversity in almost everyecosystem type on earth and are one ofthe greatest threats to biodiversity. Sincethe 17th century, invasive alien specieshave contributed to nearly 40% of allanimal extinctions for which the cause isknown (CBD, 2006).

Causes and Impacts of Invasive AlienSpecies

Globalization has resulted in greater trade,transport, travel and tourism, all of whichcan facilitate the introduction and spreadof species that are not native to an area. Ifa new habitat is similar enough to aspecies’ native habitat, it may survive andreproduce. For a species to becomeinvasive, it must successfully out-competenative organisms for food and habitat,spread through its new environment,increase its population and harmecosystems in its introduced range. Mostcountries are grappling with complex andcostly invasive species problems.

Introduction of non-native species (alsoknown as “alien” or “exotic” species),deliberately or accidentally, has beena major threat to biological diversityworldwide as the introduced specieshave often flourished at the cost of thenative species. India’s biodiversity, too,has been affected by the introductionof alien species.

Scenario of Andaman and Nicobarislands

Several exotic animals and plantsintroduced in the Andaman andNicobar Islands are posing a threat tothe local species of fauna and flora.

Spotted Deer (Axis axis)

Introduced in 1920, these animals havespread all over the North, Middle andSouth Andaman Islands, including theislands close to the coast. Recentstudies shows the damage done bythese deer. In areas where they werefound, the regeneration of forest treeswas found to be very low.

Take for example Ross Island, near PortBlair. The deer population on this island


has gone unchecked. The naturalvegetation has been almost completelyeliminated. There are very few tall treesleft. Extensive signs of soil erosion canbe seen all over the island, as there is novegetation cover to hold the soil. Thisphoto shows the condition of the smallpart of the Biological Park, Chidiyatapu.

Barking Deer Muntiacusmuntjak

This was introduced along with thespotted deer. Small populations are alsofound on Middle Andaman. Barking deeraffect native vegetation in the same wayas the spotted deer.

Elephant (Elephas maximus)

About 50 animals were let loose onInterview Island when a private timbercompany folded up in the 1960s. Now feralon the Interview Islands, there are somemore animals that have gone feral on theNorth Andaman Island itself. The earlierstudy had documented the reduction inthe amount of cane and screw-pine(Pandanus tectorius) available on InterviewIsland; the latest study found that thesehad disappeared almost totally. A largenumber of trees have been debarked byelephants on Interview Island.

Cat (Felis catus)

It was initially brought as a pet, possiblyto control rats and mice. It has gone feralin a number of places. It has beenobserved to feed on the nestlings ofendemic birds and is likely to pose aserious threat to some species.

Dog (Canis familiaris)

Dogs were introduced by the British. Theaborigines use them regularly for huntingand those who settled here use them ashousehold pets. Dogs have gone feral inseveral places in the Andaman and Nicobar

islands. They have been observed diggingup sea turtle nests on beaches and are aserious cause of mortality to nesting adultturtles, which are hunted as they comeashore to lay eggs. The killing of turtlesby feral dogs has been observed on mostof the nesting beaches of the islands wheredog populations have establishedthemselves.

Cattle (Bos Taurus)

Herds of cattle have been observed inalmost all the islands. They damage thenative vegetation.

Goat (Capra hircus)

These were introduced on Barren Islandin the last century and are now advertisedas a unique species, since they aresupposed to survive on salt water. Thisclaim appears to have been an attention-grabber to attract tourists. The vegetationcover on Barren Island has been obviouslyaffected by goats.

Conclusion

Invasive species damage native species indifferent ways. Some may directly out-compete natives — for nutrients, light orwater, in the case of plants, or for food,shelter or nesting sites among animals.Alternatively, an invader may so alter thelocal environment that the site is no longersuitable for the natives.

Reference

1. Prashanth Mohanraj, Veenakumari K.,A.K. Bandyopadhyay, 1999. PerilousAliens, Central Agricultural ResearchInstitute, Port Blair.

2. The Convention on BiologicalDiversity, 2006.


Sacred Cow

Pradeepta Nayak

India is the second most populatedcountry in the world. It is home to morecattle than any other country. The cow isconsidered sacred by the Hindus; thereis a belief that the worship of the cowcleanses the body and purifies the soul.Krishna, one of the most popular deitiesof the Hindu pantheon is a god of mercyand childhood. He was a cowherd and adivine charioteer.The products of the cow include milk,urine, dung, curds and butter. The fiveproducts (pancagavya) of the cow – milk,curds, ghee, butter, urine and dung - areused in puja (worship) as well as in ritesof extreme penance. The milk of the familycow nourishes children as they grow up.They supply the essential vitamins andnutrients required by growingchildren.Cow’s milk is beneficial for healthybones, dental health and obesity reductionin children as also protection from thyroidand the protection of the heart. India isthe largest producer of milk in the world.This has been achieved through aprogramme of cross breeding. India, USA,China and Italy are the top producers andconsumers of cow and buffalo milk.

Cow urine is used as a bio-fertilizer andbio-pesticide which is mixed with othercompounds because of its antibioticproperties and hence used as a medicine.Similarly, cow dung (gobar) is a majorsource of energy for householdsthroughout India. About half of the usablecow dung in India is used as fertilizer; the

other half used for fuel. Dung is collectedfrom the open street and cattle pens andmade into cakes which are dried and storedand later used as cooking fuel. People selldried cow dung cake to earn money to buyfood for their families. Cow dung is usedin gobar gas plants to produce CH

4 gases

for cooking and lighting the house.Basically, it is an environment friendly gas.Cow dung is also mixed with water to makea paste which is used as flooring materialand wall cover almost in every ritual. It isalso as a tilak- a ritual mark on theforehead. In ancient times, people believedthat God will happy if cow dung is usedfor the flooring and wall covering of theirhouses for “Pabitram”. Scientifically, it hassome antibiotic properties that kill harmfulbacteria and micro-organisms.

The cow gives us so many things, bothdirectly and indirectly. For this reason ithas been conferred a sacred status. Thecow is honoured at least once a year onRakshya bandhan day or Gopastami inOdisha and other states also. On thisauspicious day, a “Cow Holiday” isobserved and, early in the morning, cowsare washed and decorated with flowersand offered cake, fruit, and grain andworshiped as God.

Nowadays, modernization and the growingneed for food has resulted in the reductionof the cow population. It is estimated thatabout 20 million cattle die every year inIndia. Not all die natural deaths. Large


Andhra Pradesh has the largest sheeppopulation in South India (2.5 crores asin 2007), of which approximately 40%are of the Deccani breed. This impliesthat Andhra Pradesh has the largestpopulation of Deccani sheep, followed by

Karnataka and Maharashtra. The breedis spread over the greater part of thecentral peninsular region, comprising thesemi-arid areas of Maharashtra, AndhraPradesh and Karnataka. It covers the majorpart of Maharashtra (especially the

numbers of cattle are slaughtered by theleather industry. They are oftentransported to slaughter houses ininhuman conditions. Every day thousandsof cows are transported from AndhraPradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradeshto Kerala, West Bengal and to Bangladesh.Bangladesh is the largest exporter of beef.There are some other reasons for thedecrease in the cow population in India –

(1) Intensive use of leather productssuch as belts, bags, shoes,watchbands, combs, and jackets,etc.

(2) Increase in the consumption of non- vegetarian food.(3) Farmers turning to cattle grazing

rather than cultivation.(4) Lack of grazing land for cattle.

The ancient Hindu scriptures haveprescribed various punishments for“Gohatya” or killing of a cow. An inscriptiondating back to A.D. 465 equates killing acow with killing a Brahmin who is relatedto “Brahma”. There are some rules andregulations adapted to protect the sacredcow. In March 1994, the IndianParliament approved a bill banning theslaughter of cows and the sale andpossession of beef. Those arrested forpossession of beef faced prison sentencesup to five years. Hindus consume a large

amount of milk, buttermilk and curds.Most Indian dishes are prepared withghee, butter and other products whichcome from cows. Hence, it is not advisableto slaughter cows which are the source offood for the majority of the population.The protection of the cow means theprotection of an important animal specieswhich is an economic asset to the country.

The use of chemical fertilizers may oftenlead to cancer, diabetics and otherdiseases. Organic compost is the viablealternative. It is in the interests of thecoming generations that the cow isprotected, both as an economic asset aswell as source of nutritious food. The lastcentury has seen the disappearance ofnumerous species from the face of theearth. Let not the same fate over take thecow. Man’s greed has resulted in thedisappearance of many species and livingbeings from the planet. Let not our greedblind us to our basic nature ofhumaneness. Our existence on thisplanet depends equally on the co-existenceof various other living beings with whomwe share the earth. Let us not exterminatethem.

Reference

1. http://factsanddetails.com/asian.php?itemid=2629&catid=64&subcatid=413

The Declining Deccan SheepK. Venkataratnam


Pune Division); parts of Kurnool,Mehaboobnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad,Anantpur, Warangal and the entiredistricts of Medak, Rangareddy, andHyderabad in Andhra Pradesh; and Bidar,Bijapur, Gulbarga, and Raichur districtsin Karnataka. It is reared undermigratory, semi- migratory and sedentarysystems by shepherding communitiessuch as the Golla, Kuruma, Kuruba andDhangar. The sheep were formerly usedby these communities for meat, manureand wool.

But due to the following reasons theDeccani sheep population is said to be ona drastic declining trend in AP.

1) Cross-breeding with many otherbreeds, primarily as a result ofinappropriate breeding policies. Todate, the Deccani breed has beenincompletely understood. There areonly a few original species of thebreed available in the state.

2) Collapse in the traditional woolmarkets, triggered again by largermacro-policy reforms.

3) No encouragement from theGovernment, military and publicsectors in terms of purchasingwoolen blankets and otherby-products.

4) In terms of quantity of meat, thisbreed is inferior compared to theNellore variety. Farmers find thisvariety not commercially viablewhen compared to the Nellore ones.

5) The targeting of “sheep lands”(which are the grazing grounds forsheep and are carelessly referredto as wastelands) for setting up theSpecial Economic Zones (SEZs) andcreating bio-diesel plantations.

6) Increase in cultivable lands anddecreasing grazing lands.

7) Mechanisation, intensification ofagriculture, and over use ofchemicals, pesticides.

8) Increase in the irrigation area indry land tracts and the changes incropping patterns.

9) Decrease in crop residues inharvested fields and change over tonon-food crops, resulting in adecline of natural available fodderas also crop-residues.

10) Deep ploughing which destroysnatural fodder seeds and removesthem from the soil. Lantana,parthenium and other non-ediblespecies have colonized degradedsoils. The overall impact has beena decline of fodder.

11)Declining quality of fodder resultingin reduced milk yield, manure output,reduction of body weight, increasedsusceptibility to disease, and thereforeexpenses on purchase of vitamins,tonics, etc. have increased.

12) Reduction in the earlier traditionof penning animals on agriculturallands in the same village, as aresult of which the duration ofmigration has increased.

13) Since the tradition of allocation ofpanchayat lands for grazing by thepanchayat has all but disappeared,the owners are forced to lease landfor grazing.

14) Youngsters from traditional sheeprearing families exhibit lack ofinterest in engaging in theirtraditional profession in theabsence of profitability and scope forbetterment in their lives.

15) Not much availability of loans forthe sector.

16) The Andhra Pradesh governmenthas taken some initiatives toincrease the population of thisvariety and through some NGOs has


launched some schemes likeintensive ram / lamb rearing forquality meat production.

17) The AP government also proposes tolaunch another scheme for ramsthis year. These will be tested atthe National Research Centre onMeat, Hyderabad.

18) Despite several interventions by thegovernment, the Deccani sheepbreed is on a declining trend.

Experts suggest several measures toimprove the quality of the Deccanisheep:

1) There is urgent need to clearlydescribe and profile the Deccanbreed both in terms of its morphologicalcharacteristics, basic productionand reproduction traits andmolecular characteristics.There isa need to review the State breedingpolicies/strategies/interventionsfor the Deccan Breed thus far.

2) Nature breeding strategy and policyfor Deccan areas should be definedbased on the baseline data generatedas also take on board the needs andaspirations of the shepherdingcommunities who have traditionallyreared these breeds and depend on itfor their livelihood.

3) There should be a complete halt tointroducing new strains or breedsfrom outside the region till such

time that the study is concluded /completed.

4) There should be minimuminterference in the currentbreeding practices followed by theshepherds/ a community till suchtime that the study generates thedata and establishes the inbreedinglevels.

5) To expand the Network Project onSheep Improvement and Conservationfor the Deccani Sheep.

6) All the stakeholders should beinvolved.

7) Assigning/selling lands for housing,construction of factories, etc (nonagriculture) needs to be restricted.If lands need to be assigned, theyneed to be assigned to shepherdorganizations, which they can usein ways that further their sheeprearing livelihood. There should bere-allocation of land in villages forgrazing through policy changes(where possible and feasible).

8) Analysis of soils and investigationof their status for mineraldeficiencies and plan cropping andecological agriculture interventionsto correct these imbalances.

9) Analysis of the water to determineits quality and plan interventionswhere need to restore wateringsources and their quality.

10) Schemes like NREG need toconsider the enhancement of foddertrees, grasses and plants.

11) Adequate medical and healthinsurance facilities to be provided.

12) Good marketing facilities to beprovided.

13) Establishing of research stations forsheep.

Reference & source:

1) www.anthra.Org.2) www.National Research Centre on

Meat, Govt of India.3) Experts from the sector.


Introduction

India covers only 2.4 % of the totalsurface area of the world. However, itcontains about 8% of the total biologicaldiversity of the world. The country isthe second largest populated countryin the world. Traditionally, Indianshave always maintained strong affinitytowards animals and their welfare.This is partly due to the religious beliefsof the people. Concern for animals andtheir protection is deeply rooted in theIndian psyche. Now, there is a deepconcern about the depletion of wildlifeand biodiversity in the country. TheGovernment of India are seized of thematter and have taken variousproactive steps to preserve the same.Various laws have been enacted toensure the preservation andconservation of wildlife and biodiversity.Chief among them is the Wild Life(Protection) Act (WLPA) enacted in 1972.

Animal Welfare

Animal Welfare has been brought underthe Ministry of Environment & Forests(MoEF). It requires coordinationbetween various Ministries, namelyDept. of Animal Husbandry, Dairyingand Fisheries (DAHD&F), Ministry ofHealth, Ministry of Urban Development,Ministry of Rural Development, alongwith the MoEF. Matters concerningAnimal Welfare are dealt with by theMoEF through the Animal WelfareBoard of India (AWBI), which is acorporate body constituted undersection 4 of the Prevention of Crueltyto Animals Act (1960).

Various schemes presently implementedare:

♦ Regular Grant for 2900 AnimalWelfare Organisations

♦ Grant for shelter houses♦ Grant for animal birth control and

immunization of stray dogs♦ Grant of the provision of ambulanceservices for animals in distress♦ Grant of relief to animals during

natural calamities

The schemes which were initiated for thewelfare of animals during the 11th planperiod are being continued during the 12th

plan. The government is planning to reducethe number of plan schemes and to bringall the various schemes under one schemecalled the Animal Welfare Scheme. Theidea is to bring about better coordinationbetween the various departmentshandling this subject. The following thrustareas have been identified for specialattention.

♦ Animal Birth Control andImmunization.

♦ Sterilization of stray dogs up to aminimum of 70% of the stray dogpopulation.

♦ Sterilization of specific species ofmonkeys in selected areas up to aminimum 70% of the population ofsuch monkeys in such areas.

♦ Adopting a participatory approach toresolving the man-animal conflict.

♦ Convergence of schemes of relatedMinistries / departments forcontributing to the cause of animalwelfare.

♦ Capacity building of key players,i.e., NGOs, AWOs, civic bodies,veterinarians.

Issues of Animal Welfare in IndiaDr. T. Sundaramoorthy


♦ Better management of slaughter-houses.

♦ Better management of gaushalas.

Capacity building

At present, the NGOs / AWOs / SPCAs/Civic bodies involved in carrying out ABCprogrammes are facing problems in theefficient conduct of the programmes dueto lack of availability of trainedveterinarians and para vets in surgicalprotocols for the sterilization of stray dogs.There is a limited availability of well traineddog catchers with the civic bodies. This isone of the main causes that limits thescope of the ABC programmes in India.This needs to be rectified.

The various issues related to animalwelfare and some of the steps taken bythe Government of India are summarizedbelow:

Rabies control

The main vector of rabies in India is thedog. More than 98% deaths take placeconsequent to bites of rabid dogs mostlyin the rural areas. The awareness leveland facilities for post exposure anti-rabiestreatment are inadequate. The WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) has alsorepeatedly recommended controlling thepopulation of dogs through intensive ABC/AR programmes by which at least 70% ofthe dog population should be vaccinated.The number of dog bites in the country isabout 17.4 million every year. The cost oftreatment for both man and animalsamounts to Rs. 410 crores per year.

Presenting the latest statistics in the LokSabha, Shri Gulam Nabi Azad, the thenMinister for Health, said that only 223human rabies deaths were recorded inIndia in 2011. India had long been thoughtto lead the world in human deaths from

canine rabies, but now appears to havefar fewer human rabies deaths thanPakistan (5,000); China (2,400); Indonesia(900 to 5,000) and Bangladesh (2,000).The drastic reduction in estimated humanrabies deaths in India suggests that rabiesis much less a public health scourge thanis widely believed, and has been much morevulnerable to eradication with a concertedpush to vaccinate street dogs. An expertgroup recommended that the scheme‘Animal Birth Control and Immunizationof Stray Dogs’ be renamed as the “AnimalBirth Control and Immunization Scheme”,so that it is not limited to the treatment ofstray dogs only.

Monkeys are also the carriers of rabiesand co-habit with humans. The two kindsof monkeys, namely rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta) and Hanuman langurs(Semnopithecus entellus) share food andspace with humans, both in rural andurban areas, and are often in conflict withthe humans. The problems due tomonkeys are very acute in several states.In the case of monkeys, the Rhesus BirthControl Programme initiated by the WildlifeWing of the Forest Department ofHimachal Pradesh needs to be expandedto set up a National Training Centre forthe sterilization of monkeys and also forthe training of vets / para-vets of all thestates.

The expert group recommended that inorder to ensure complete elimination ofrabies from the country, the Ministryshould formulate a “National RabiesControl Mission”.

Slaughter houses

Abuse of animals at auctions and slaughterhouses is common. According toDepartment of animal husbandry,Ministry of Agriculture (2006), there areover 5500 registered slaughter houses in


the country. This figure may have grownin the last 5 years. There are also severalillegal slaughter houses. In order tocomply with the requirements under thePrevention of Cruelty (Slaughter House)Rules, and the directions issued by theHon’ble Apex Court, the Board is requiredto undertake inspections of slaughterhouses frequently. In order to ensure this,the Board would require adequateresources and qualified manpower.

Inspection of slaughter houses has to beensured as mandated by the Hon’bleSupreme Court of India and as requiredby the Prevention of Cruelty (SlaughterHouse) Rules. This is absolutelyimperative in order to ensure humane,hygienic slaughter that meet worldstandards. The expert grouprecommended that retired veterinarypractitioners and other volunteers shouldbe engaged on a reasonable remunerationfor this purpose.

Convergence of schemes of differentministries

Necessary financial resources for theeradication of rabies may be pooled fromthe following Ministries. They are:

♦ Ministry of Environment and Forests♦ Department of Animal Husbandry,

Dairying and Fisheries♦ Ministry of Health♦ Ministry of Urban Development and♦ Ministry of Rural Development

Animal Welfare Board of India

The AWBI is the only body assisting theMoEF at the national level. Besidescontrolling rabies and the population ofstray dogs, the Board releases funds forthe various schemes as also to the 2900

NGOs/ Gaushalas and SPCAs. However,lack of funds and man power is a bigconstraint and should be addressed if theschemes are to be brought to fruition.Although some of the States haveconstituted Animal Welfare Boards at theState level, there is a need to have suchBoards in all the States. Moreover, as pera Supreme Court direction, and as per thePrevention of Cruelty (Establishment ofSocieties for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals) Rules, SPCAs have to beestablished in all districts of the States.

Shelterhouses / Gaushalas

The Ministry, with the help of the Board,should prepare an action plan with theobjective of establishing shelter housesin each district of the country by providingpriority to non-covered and partiallycovered regions. As funding will alwaysremain a constraint, the help of corporatebodies could also be brought in so as tomake this scheme an all embracing one.

National Institute of Animal Welfare

The Institute needs to undertake researchprojects on subjects related to animalbirth control, clinical surgery, medicine,etc., related to animal welfare. TheInstitute must also strive for affiliation withother Universities / Institutions; bothnational and International to conductvarious courses related to animal welfare.The Institute is also expected to produceuseful material for extensive information,education, and communication (IEC)activities to promote the concept of animalwelfare.

Committee for the Purpose of Controland Supervision on Experiments onAnimals (CPCSEA)

The CPCSEA has the mandate ofsupervising experiments on animals. The


Introduction

Factory farming is the practice of raisinganimals for food using intensive productionmethods to increase the profits. This typeof farming is characterized by high stockingdensities of animals in close confinement.The majority of the animals which areraised for food, milk and meat live undermiserable conditions such as confinementin dark, overcrowded cages, battery cages,undergo excessive injection of hormonesand antibiotics, debeaking, tail dockingand several other cruelties. Such animalsspend their entire lives under miserableconditions until they are slaughtered.Different methods of factory farmingtechniques are practiced all around theworld. There is a continuing debate overthe benefits, risks, ethics andsustainability of factory farming. Theissues include the efficiency of foodproduction, animal welfare, and whethersuch practices are essential for feedingthe ever growing global human population.

Loss of livelihood for the local farmingcommunity, environmental impact andhuman health risks are other issues. Inthis industrialized and materialistic world,animals are often treated like a commodityto make money, without considering thewell being of such animals.

Factory farming – Issues and concerns

The concept of factory farming began sometime during 1940s. In those days thegreatest problem faced in raising theseanimals indoor was the spread ofcontagious diseases. To control thosediseases, antibiotics were used; farmersfound that factory farming was profitableand they started using several chemicalsand mechanized gadgets. Unfortunately,this trend of mass production has resultedin incredible pain and suffering for theanimals. Animals raised in factory farmsare full of antibiotics, hormones and otherchemicals. In the food industry, animalsare considered as food producing

expert group recommended that thecommittee should also develop linkageswith other stakeholders, for examplevarious Government Departments /Research Organizations so as to broadenthe scope of the welfare measures. Thecommittee can also play an important rolein advising the NIAW in developing IECmaterial and undertaking activities topromote the concept of animal welfare inexperimental / laboratory animals.

Conclusion

The Twelfth Plan needs to take greatercognizance of animal welfare issues; notonly the MoEF but also by ministries suchas Human Resource Development, bothformal and non-formal sectors, etc.Enforcement of animal welfare laws isessential.

Source: Ministry of Environment &

Forests, Government of India.

The Ethics of Factory FarmingR. Sabesh


machines that are confined to very smallcages with metal bars, without properventilation and live their lives in artificiallighting or in darkness.

In developing countries like India, factoryfarming under intensive animal agriculturedevastates the livelihoods of local farmers,destroying the traditional rural andcultural practices. The dependence onantibiotics, hormones and other chemicalsmakes food supply insecure and causessignificant environmental and healthhazards. Factory farming is increasing atan alarming rate, particularly in developingcountries, and is really a cause forconcern.

The time has come for the internationaldevelopment community to face and tacklethe problem of factory farming as anintegral part of its poverty alleviation work.Governments, the development sector andNGOs need to recognize the burningissues caused by factory farming. Theyshould use all the resources at theirdisposal to campaign for animal welfare,environmental protection, rural livelihoodsecurity and also to educate allstakeholders and the general public aboutthis subject.

Poultry Industry and Battery Cages

Generally hens are crowded into batterycages to maximize profits Battery cagestypically measure between 16 to 22 inches;bird with wingspans of 32 inches are neverbe able to spread their wings in their lifetime. Cages are stacked in rows on top ofeach other, so that thousands of birds canbe housed under one small roof. The wirefloors are sloped so that the eggs roll outof the cages. Birds sometimes fall out ofcages and are stuck between cages or gettheir heads or limbs stuck between the

bars of their cages and die because theycannot access food and water. Studies ofthe exponential growth of industrial animalagriculture in developing countriesindicate the threat to the sustainability ofboth rural populations and traditional foodproduction systems. According to theInternational Food Policy ResearchInstitute (IFPRI), countries in LatinAmerica, Asia and Africa will be the world’sleading producers of meat and other animalproducts in future, with intensive animalagriculture as the predominant productionmethod.

Battery hens are prone to osteoporosisand bone fractures. Their bones are brittlebecause of over-production of eggs andlack of exercise. Several scientific studieshave proved that towards the end of theegg-laying phase, a combination of highcalcium demand for egg production and alack of exercise can lead to osteoporosis.This can occur in all housing systems foregg laying hens, but it is particularlyprevalent in battery cages.

Animal Welfare- Role of Civil Society

The solution is to avoid non-vegetarianfood and choose healthy vegetarian food.This does not contribute to animalsuffering: the public must be educatedabout animal welfare.

Ask questions. Find out whether theproducts you buy come from a farm thatuses intensive confinement practices or afarm which allows the animals to accessfresh air, good quality feeds. Find outwhether they have been produced locallyor have been transported from thousandsof kilometers away. Always read labels.Enquire whether the product containsartificial growth hormones or geneticallyengineered ingredients? As consumers,


we have a great source of power with usand we can choose to buy food materialsproduced by known farms where theanimals are raised in humane conditionsduly certified by the concernedauthorities. Also, encourage hoteliers tomake a big difference by buying fresh,locally grown products from small scalefarmers. Support local food suppliers. Wecan do this by purchasing food producedby the local farming community to supportlocal farms.

Local varieties of crops and livestockraised by natural farming methods arevery healthy and resistant to climaticfluctuations. Farmers generally usetraditional breeds of animals that havebetter resistance to disease and localparasites. They do not allow the routineuse of chemicals such as antibiotics andhormones to control infection and to boostproductivity. Food and livestock developednaturally and humanely through naturalfarming, hence it is safer for humans andbetter for the environment.

Conclusion

Farm animals are after all living beingscapable of feeling pain and sufferings.Factory farming under the industrializedagriculture practices treats them as littlemore than meat, egg and milk-makingmachines. In India even though SeveralAnimal welfare laws are in place but thereality is that animals are being abusedand suffering from several forms ofcruelties. The welfare of animals oftenloses out to the economic interests of largecorporate bodies which promote and profitfrom this type of farming method. Thegeneral public should realize this issue

and switchover to a vegetarian food as oneof the best ways to overcome this issue.

References

1. Delgado, C., Rosegrant, M., Steinfeld,H., Ehui, S, and C. Courboiset, 1999.‘Livestock to 2020: The Next FoodRevolution, Food Agriculture and theEnvironment discussion paper No. 28,Washington DC, International Food PolicyResearch Institute, Rome, FAO andNairobi, International Livestock Research

Institute, Washington DC.

2. Danielle Nierenberg, 2005. HappierMeals: Rethinking the Global MeatIndustry. World watch Paper 121: 5

3. Duram, Leslie A. 2010. Encyclopediaof Organic, Sustainable, and Local Food.p. 139. ABC-CLIO.

4. Hickman, Martin, 2008. The true costof cheap chicken, The Independent,London.

5. Turner, J., 2006. “GrowthEnvironmental indicators of pesticidesleaching”, US Dept. of Agriculture NaturalResource Conservation- Service of GlobalAnimal Agriculture, World Society for theProtection of Animals.

6. United Poultry Concerns, 2004.‘Austrian Parliament Votes Unanimouslyto Ban Battery Cages!’. Retrieved 24 May,2007, http://www.upc-online. org/

battery-_ hens/52804austria.htm

7. Winter, 1995. Animal Welfare Institute– Swiss Ban on Battery Cages: A SuccessStory for Hens and Farmers.


Kindness Kids is a project sponsored bythe Winsome Constance Trust, Australiaand the C.P. Ramaswami AiyarFoundation to teach children about theimportance of kindness to animals and thelink between their food and theenvironment. The focus is on animalsuffering, how a vegetarian diet improveshuman health and well-being, and thelinks between food choices andenvironmental impact.

Introduction

Man depends on animals for variouspurposes. Right from the morning cup ofcoffee to milk at night we use variousanimal based products. But are we treatingthose animals in a humane way? Everyyear thousands of animals are breed andtortured for milk and killed for meat.Animal farming today has become a bigbusiness and most animals are treated asprofit-making machines, not as living-beings capable of feeling pain and fear. Tomaximize profits and reduce costs,chickens, pigs and cows are packed incrowded conditions, which make itimpossible for them to even stretch theirwings or legs. They are deprived of normalenvironment, food and feed. But most ofus are unaware of these appallingconditions, given the fact that we a smilingcow on our milk sachets or a winking,happy looking hen on our egg cases. Nordo we realize the staggering effects thatanimal-based diets and intensive farminghave on the environment – water scarcity,water pollution, deforestation,desertification and global warming, toname a few.

To sensitize the younger generation aboutthe realities of modern meat productionand dairy farming and its impacts on theenvironment, THE C.P. RAMASWAMIAIYAR FOUNDATION (CPRAF) hasinitiated a programme titled KINDNESSKIDS, sponsored by THE WINSOMECONSTANCE KINDNESS TRUST,AUSTRALIA.

Objectives

♦ To educate the students aboutHuman-Animal relationships.

♦ Their links between food productionand environment.

♦ To reduce animal suffering.

♦ To highlight the benefits ofvegetarianism.

Target Audience

School Students from classes VI – VIII

Locations

♦ Chennai♦ Hyderabad♦ Tirupathi♦ Mysore♦ Ooty

Benefits

Learn a lifelong message of Kindness andcompassion towards animals and fellowbeings.

Kindness Kids


♦ Transition in due course of time intraditions, habits etc.

♦ Play a vital role to gain the support ofthe masses for vegetarianism

Strategies of the Project

The Kindness Kids program is planned inthree phases. They are as follows:

Phase I- Planning & Preperation

Phase II- Orientation for teachers andstudents

Phase III- Organization of competitions andgiving away prizes

Planning & Preparatory Phase

During the planning phase, the brainstorming sessions were held to devisethe strategy for the project with thepreparation of the resource materialsthat includes the Power Pointpresentations, activities for the childrenand other publications that imbibes themessage of Kindness and compassion tokids. The work break down structures hasbeen prepared for the project so as toattain the tangible result.

To test the concept and to know the mindset of the students on the theme, CPRAFdid the Field testing for the programme.On that note, The KINDNESS KIDSprogramme team members conductedschool orientation programmes inChennai, Hyderabad and Tirupathi. Theydistributed resource materials that wouldhelp them to create awareness at thestudent community level.

Mediums of Instruction

♦ English♦ Telugu♦ Tamil

Resource Materials for the Project

♦ Eating up the world♦ Animals in distress♦ Pledge Cards♦ Badges♦ Wallpapers

For Education Officers

CDs on

♦ Eating up the world♦ Animals in distress

For Free Distribution to Teachers

CD containing …

♦ Eating up the world♦ Animals in destress♦ Wallpaper♦ How to become a Kindness Champ/

Kindness Ambassador

For Free Distribution to Students

♦ Pamphlet on “EATING UP THEWORLD”

♦ Pledge Card

Kindness Kids Orientation Programmefor Students

The programme gained a great responsefrom the students and teachers of manySchools in Chennai, Hyderabad andTirupathi. The PowerPoint presentations“Eating up the world and Animals indistress” were screened. Studentsenthusiastically listened to it and werevery interactive. They were given a set ofactivities to be carried out in order to winthe KINDNESS CHAMP and KINDNESSAMBASSADOR AWARDS.


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CPR Convention Centre(Fully Air-conditioned)

C.P ART CENTRE – 2nd Floor1 Eldams Road, Chennai 600 018.

Phone : 24346526 / 2433 7023 Fax: 91-44-2432 0756E-mail : [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]

CPR Convention Centre is a new addition to Chennai. Situated amidst thelush green gardens of the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation’s vast campusin the heart of Chennai, it has already become one of Chennai’s leadingvenues for conventions and celebrations. Several conferences, businessmeetings, etc. have been conducted here in serene surroundings.

CPR Convention Centre is an excellent multipurpose center, the perfectplace to host seminars, meetings and conferences. It has a fully air-conditioned hall with modern interiors and comprehensive meeting andbanquet facilities designed to accommodate up to 200 guests (theatre style).

Situated on the second floor, above C.P. Art Centre, Chennai’s happeningplace, there are levitator (lift) facilities, state of the art sound andpresentation systems, excellent acoustics, projection facilities and – wonderof wonders - ample car parking.

CPR Convention Centre provides the best facilities and services par excellencefor all your convention needs. For more details contact Public RelationsOfficer, Mr.N.Srinivasan - 9444580641

03. Eco News - 12

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Transcript of 03. Eco News - 12