Mangaluru: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is all set to crack the whip again on traditional Kambla sport of coastal Karnataka.
The AWBI has asked the State government to take immediate steps to stop Kambala (the annual buffalo race) planned for the year 2015-16 in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
Acting on a complaint by the animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the board has written to Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee, the Deputy Commissioners of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, citing interim order of the HC dated December 15, 2014, which stayed the orders of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district administrations to permit Kambala with certain conditions last year.
The AWBI inspected three Kambala events in 2014–15, which led to filing of 65 non-cognisable offence complaints and one First Information Report (FIR) at local police stations.
The inspection reports explained the violations of the specific conditions set by the Karnataka High Court under which it allowed Kambala, and it was proved that Kambala was no different from bull races and ‘Jallikattu’ (bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu), which the Supreme Court has banned.
These events violate several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Rules thereunder.
PETA India Director of Veterinary Affairs Dr Manilal Valliyate said the State government must enforce the Supreme Court judgment.
