Over 2,000 birds, animals injured in Uttarayan in Ahmedabad
1,500 animals and birds were treated on Jan 14
Updated: Jan 16th, 2024
Birds and animals being hurt during Uttarayan is not unheard of. This year too, when a lot of us were up on our terraces shouting ‘kai po che!’, the festival took the lives of 450 birds in the city.
This year, on Jan 14, a total of 1,500 animals and birds were treated in the Karuna ambulance, whereas on Jan 15, the number was 1,459.
These numbers are from the state’s ‘Karuna Abhiyaan’, aimed at treating and taking care for injured animals and birds. Many veterinarians and NGOs across the state joined the campaign.
Apart from this, the treatment of a thousand animals was registered with other NGOs.
Under this initiative, by dialling the 1962 toll-free number, the animal husbandry department responds, and animals and birds are treated in the emergency ambulance.
Until 6 p.m. on Jan 14, the day of Uttarayan, a total of 1,459 emergency calls were received at the Karuna helpline. Out of which 1,097 were for injured animals and 362 for birds.
Records state that in most of the cases for birds, their wings were injured, while animals had injuries to their heads. Bird injuries saw a 50% rise compared to last year’s Uttarayan.
What can we do to save birds post Uttarayan?
“We collect tonnes of thread from the city on Jan 14 and even post-Uttarayan till the month of August to prevent bird and animal fatalities,” says Dr Siddharth Thaker of TrustPaPa, an NGO that has been working on this cause since 2011.
Thaker requests citizens to find an entangled manja and dispose of it responsibly to prevent entanglement.
For starters, you can remove the thread from trees, windows, and balconies to prevent birds from entangling in them.
Rescue and call ‘1962’ or any local NGO if you see any injured bird or animal.
