The Animal Welfare Board of India has written to authorities in Ludhiana and the state to ensure that there are no bullock cart races in the Kilaraipur rural games that are set to begin today. The letter,addressed to the states chief secretary,DGP Punjab,Ludhiana police commissioner,Animal Husbandry department,among others,comes in the wake of reports in The Indian Express that bullock cart races were to be the main attraction in the three-day rural games in Kilaraipur to be held from Feb 9 to Feb 11. Vinod Kumar,assistant secretary AWBI - a part of the Ministry of Environment and Forests on behalf of Major General(retd) Dr R M Kharb - has urged authorities to ensure that no bullock cart races are held. The welfare board has also sent a copy of the notification to the officers dated July 11,2011 issued under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960,banning the use of bulls as performing animals. I have also enclosed a subsequent communication issued by the Ministry clarifying that term bull is a generic term,including bullocks among others, Kumar said. The letter further states that if the races occur,they involve violations of Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960,and constitute a contravention of the Government of India notification,that was issued on July 11,2011. The Animal husbandry department,Punjab had already written to the organisers of Kilaraipur games to stop bullock cart races. The copy of the letter had come to me as well,and I have forwarded the same to the police commissioner Ludhiana,because prevention to cruelty against animals comes under the purview of police commissioner, Ludhiana DC Rahul Tiwari said. Meanwhile,more than 100 participants have been preparing for the races set to start today,even as organisers are adamant that they will conduct the races. Despite efforts to contact Ludhiana police commissioner,Ishwar Chander,he was unavailable for comments.
