Animal Haven

It doesn’t have a walking track, swings and slides or pretty flower bushes to look at. But the 5,000 sq ft garden in Yari Road, once an unofficial dumping ground for locals, will finally serve a purpose. It has now been converted into a recreational ground for the area’s pets. 

The Yari Road Pet Park, which was inaugurated on Sunday, has been instantly put to good use by pet owners of the area. A joint effort of the BMC and the Ashoka Road Residents Association, the ground — soft and mucky due to rains — has grass that is still to grow and little saplings that will soon bloom into trees. For an area that has over 1,500 pet dogs, it is a great start. “There are more than seven gardens in the area, where pets are not allowed to enter,” says Meenakshi Thakur, secretary of the association. “Until the pet park came along, our dogs had only the streets to run and play. This park becomes important because it addresses the health and hygiene problems as well as safety issues,” she adds. 

The park, although a little cramped for space, does not allow you to play frisbee with your dog, but there’s enough space for pets to run around. There are two structures that have been built for pet owners to sit and relax while their four-legged companions do a bit of socialising on their own. Thakur is especially looking forward to holding workshops and events for pets. “We’re planning at least one event every month with different agendas — breeding, grooming, health and even birthdays,” she says. 

While addressing hygiene issues, the park management is making sure that pet owners scoop the animal waste and leave the park clean. For this, the association has left plastic bags and scoopers with the security and several dustbins have been set up around the park. “If owners see more of us cleaning up, and they know we’ve provided everything for them, I’m confident they will start doing it too,” says Thakur with a smile.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/animal-haven/970359/2

Floods throw up killers, saviours - Poachers get free run at KNP

An aerial view of an inundated part of Majuli seen during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Assam’s Jorhat district on Monday. Picture by UB Photos 

Jorhat, July 2: Poachers are taking advantage of animals straying out of Kaziranga National Park to escape the floodwaters, with two rhinos being killed in a span of two days. 

The carcass of a rhino was recovered from Parku Pahar area under Karbi Anglong forest division near Tesu village opposite the Bagori range of Kaziranga National Park today.

Another male rhino was killed late last evening near the Pahar line forest camp at Dolamora, Haldibari Hills in Karbi Anglong district adjoining the Kohora range of the national park. 

Both the rhinos were found without their horns.

Forest ranger, east division of Karbi Anglong, Prahlad Kro told The Telegraph today that usually the rhinos did not stray towards Parku Pahar.

However, the current spate of floods had most likely forced the rhino to take shelter in this area and it had fallen prey to poachers’ bullets.

Kro said they had been patrolling the area constantly because of the floods.

“We have not been able to ascertain when the poachers struck. We were maintaining a 24-hour vigil, but there was a severe thunderstorm yesterday and it could have been killed during that time,” Kro said.

Director of Kaziranga National Park Sanjib Bora said during the annual floods the animals come out into the open and usually seek higher ground, fleeing to the hills of Karbi Anglong to escape the waters. “It becomes more difficult for us to monitor the animals when they move out from the forest area and poachers take advantage of this. We try our best to prevent the killings by undertaking joint patrols with our Karbi Anglong counterparts,” Bora said.

A section of forest guards were at the moment trailing a rhino calf which had strayed out of the park, “but it was not possible to keep track of each and every animal”, Bora added.

Anthony Thangcho, a veterinarian attached to the Wildlife Trust of India, Karbi Anglong, who is currently posted at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation near the park, said the post-mortem done today revealed that the rhino had received three bullets, one in the forehead, and had died on the spot.

In another incident, a hog deer was rescued from the floodwaters by some villagers near the park today and handed over to the centre.

Forest department personnel also rescued a rhino calf yesterday, and it is being treated at the Centre.

Thangcho added that a leopard cub had also been treated at the centre today.

The toll of animals killed in the recent floods has been officially pegged at 81. However, unofficially, it is believed to be more than 100.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120703/jsp/northeast/story_15682432.jsp#.T_Mel5FrRSQ

Langur kept in captivity dies

LUCKNOW: A langur, which is protected under schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, reportedly died of ill treatment at a prominent school in Aliganj area here on Monday afternoon. Members of the Animal Welfare board of Indian have alleged negligence on the part of the school authorities which hired the langur to get rid of the problem of monkey menace in their premises. They have also blamed the state forest department officials for directing the school staff to the man who had illegally tamed the protected animal and kept it in captivity. According to reports, the langur was not given any food or medical attention even though it was throwing up violently. Member, AWBI Kamna Pandey wrote to Governor BL Joshi and has sought action in this regard. tnn"The incident smacks of gross negligence and lawlessness and it is requested that the matter may kindly be investigated so that the guilty are brought to book and such untoward incidents are averted in the future," read the letter.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Langur-kept-in-captivity-dies/articleshow/14620838.cms 

Hollywood-Bollywood come together for vegan cookbook

New Delhi: A host of Bollywood celebrities like Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha and Neha Dhupia, as well as Hollywood biggies are set to share their favourite vegan recipes for a book titled "The Bolly Holly Vegan Cookbook".

Poorva Joshipura, head of animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and vice president (International Operations), PETA Foundation UK, is working on the project.

"It will be perfect for everyone - veteran vegans, curious newcomers and those who just want to try the occasional meatless meal - as well as both kitchen novices and culinary wizards," Joshipura, a food enthusiast herself, told IANS.

"The recipes will allow readers to enjoy vegan versions of old-time Indian regional favourites and to explore dishes that they might never have heard of before. The book will reveal how easy it is to turn traditionally meat or dairy-laden Indian dishes - and those from faraway lands - into more enjoyable and far healthier vegan delicacies," she added.

Other Indian actors who will provide their inputs for the book include names like Sonu Sood, Raveena Tandon, Amrita Rao, Celina Jaitly and Jacqueline Fernandez.

The book will also contain writing from Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA US, as well as by nutrition expert and author Neal Barnard, also the founder of Washington-based The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

"The Bolly Holly Vegan Cookbook" is expected to hit the stands in 2013.

PETA India`s US affiliate counts Hollywood stars like Pamela Anderson, Alicia Silverstone, Sir Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Stella McCartney and Eva Mendes as their supporters.

Joshipura has signed with Jacaranda Press to represent the book and she feels it would help readers to understand how a vegan diet helps celebrities to be in perfect shape.

"Learning what celebrities eat can reveal the secrets behind their shiny hair, slim figures, toned bodies and smooth, healthy skin. Every chapter of the book will offer celebrity tips, quotations and facts about the benefits of vegan eating.

"Best of all, it will be fun - full of colourful pictures of celebrities` favourite dishes, with cinematic terms used throughout the text of the book to liven up the pages," added Joshipura.

http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/hollywood-bollywood-come-together-for-vegan-cookbook_114569.htm

Eat shoots and leaves

Vegetarianism is not new to India. And yet, the true vegetarian ethos is something very few people appreciate. Abstaining from meat and fish is not just a food choice – it’s a philosophy. As man evolved from caveman hunter to one who preferred a settled community, his relationship with food  changed.

With new systems like farming, finding nourishment was not difficult and food scarcity wasn’t an issue. Man realised he was at the top of the food chain and understood complex ideas of compassion and non-violence. One of the ideas born out of this evolution was that all life should be treated as sacred, and it paved the path for vegetarianism.

Now, after years of civilisation, mankind’s attitude to ethical consumption has taken a step ahead with veganism. Vegans steer away from all products that have emerged from the exploitation of any sentient being. This means no meat, no fish and no eggs, no milk or milk products (because it exploits the animals and deprives its young of nourishment), no silk, no leather, no wool and no honey. This hasn’t made vegans weaker. In fact, there are several successful vegan or vegetarian athletes like the ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek, pro triathlete Brendan Brazier, US Masters running champion Tim Van Orden, and award-winning athlete Rich Roll.

Vegan eating patterns are safe for all ages, including pregnant and lactating mothers, though all vegan diet plans advise using supplements like vitamin B12, zinc, choline and omega 3 fatty acids.

A vegan diet’s most important USP is its capacity to make the body alkaline and lower its oxidative stress. An overly acidic body has been known to be the root of most diseases. In athletes, overly acidic muscles lower their peak performance. The alkaline body is less likely to burn out easily.

A non-vegetarian diet argues that meals are higher in protein, iron and calcium. But those can be compensated with a combination of sprouts, tofu and quinoa grain for proteins and minerals; kelp, seaweed, spirulina and Himalayan herbs for super-oxidants, iron and vitamins. Turning vegan, it seems, is a good philosophy, good for the environment (fewer animals are reared to feed on the earth just so that they can be consumed by humans), and good for your health. 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Brunch/Brunch-Stories/Eat-shoots-and-leaves/Article1-880911.aspx 
 

Wake Up Vegan Meals With Indian Fare

 

Anupy Singla wants to spice up your vegan diet with some Indian flare.

"If you look at Indian cuisine," the food writer tells NPR's Michel Martin, "it really is one of the only cuisines that highlights vegetarian food, so it's not a far stretch."

Singla's latest cookbook is Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes. A mother of two, Singla was born in India and now lives in Chicago. She was inspired to cook at age 10, when her paternal grandfather, visiting from his tiny village in Punjab, taught her how to cook eggplant "properly," and she has been cooking ever since.

"Americans are seeking more and more flavor," Singla says. "[That's] precisely why in America now folks just cannot get enough of Indian cuisine — especially when they also learn of the many health benefits of the spices."

Singla says misconceptions about Indian food run rampant. It doesn't have to be spicy, she says, and it's anything but heavy and unhealthy. In fact, she contends that Indian spices can treat everything from a common cold to a stomachache and even help heal broken bones.

Several years ago, Singla gave up a career as a TV reporter to focus on her culinary career. Her food stories have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago-Sun Times. Her first cookbook was The Indian Slow Cooker.

Anupy Singla blogs about her culinary journey on www.IndianAsApplePie.com.

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Enlarge Courtesy Anupy Singla

Chickpea Poppers

Yield: 4 cups

4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 (12-ounce) cans chickpeas

1 tablespoon masala (garam, chaat, chana, or sambhar — also, feel free to substitute any other spice blend from Chinese to Italian)

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon red chili powder, cayenne or paprika

1. Set an oven rack at the highest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy cleanup.

2. Drain the chickpeas in a large colander for about 15 minutes to get rid of as much moisture as possible. If using canned, rinse first.

3. In a large bowl, gently mix together the first four ingredients.

4. Arrange the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet.

5. Cook for 15 minutes. Carefully take the tray out of the oven, mix gently so that the chickpeas cook evenly, and cook another 10 minutes.

6. Let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the red chili, cayenne or paprika.

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Enlarge Courtesy Anupy Singla

Street Corn Salad/Bhutta

Yield: 4 cups

4 ears corn, husked and cleaned

Juice of 1 medium lemon

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon black salt (kala namak)

1 teaspoon chaat masala

1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne

1. Roast the corn until slightly charred. This can be done many ways. I simply do it right on my stove top. I have gas burners, so I turn them to medium-high and roast 2 ears at a time, turning them slightly as they roast. If you have an electric stove, you can do the same, but put a small metal rack over your burner so that the corn does not sit directly on it and make a mess. If you don't want to go this route (though I find it to be the simplest), you can roast the corn on a grill.

2. Remove the kernels from the corn. Either use a fancy gadget designed for this purpose, or do as I do: Take a serrated knife, hold the cob with one hand and work your way carefully down the length of the cob with the knife.

3. Put the corn kernels in a bowl and mix in all the other ingredients. Serve immediately.

Try This! If you truly want to go traditional, put the spices in a small plate, and serve the ears of corn whole, accompanied by the spices and a lemon half. Have your guests pat the lemon (flat side down) in the plate of spices and rub the spiced lemon down their corn cobs until all of the corn is seasoned. Squeeze the lemon slightly as you go down the length of the corn to give it as much flavor as possible.

Note: If you wash the corn first, be sure to dry the cobs completely before putting them on the stovetop, or they will splatter when cooking. I learned this the hard way.

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/02/155722440/wake-up-your-vegan-meals-with-indian-fare