Bio-fuel from carcasses in Ahmedabad could be reality

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bio-fuel-from-carcasses-in-ahmedabad-could-be-reality_1589874

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is mulling a project to produce bio-fuel from carcass, something which has never been done in India. The civic body has received a proposal from a private company that wants to set up plant for producing bio-diesel and CNG along with high quality manure from bio-waste. If the project is implemented, it would be first of its kind in India. 

The company has proposed to set up 500 metric tonne per day bio-waste processing unit in three phases in Ahmedabad. The company will use bio-waste such as hotel waste, mandi waste, slaughterhouse waste, fish market waste, dead animals and all types of organic waste as input material for producing diesel and CNG. 

“We have received proposal for development of bio-diesel and CNG from bio-waste including carcass and the negotiations are in advance stage,” said IK Patel, deputy municipal commissioner of AMC. 

Under the project, animal skin is degraded in the first stage bio-reactor by special bacterial consortium and pH is lowered to five, leading to an acidic environment leading to quick degradation of all the organic matter even the toughest matter like skin.

The company will produce bio-fertilizer from the residue and will supply it to the AMC at subsidies rates for using it in garden. Moreover, the company will also provide bio-diesel and CNG to AMC at lower rates compared to market price, said sources in AMC. 

“If the project is implemented in the city, it would be first of its kind of projects in the country,” claimed sources. Sources said that the civic body receives around 10-15 complaints everyday for removal of dead animals in the city. Apart from that it receives around couple of tonne of slaughter waste from AMC-owned slaughter houses in Ahmedabad, said sources. 

This project will remove the foul and stinking smell in large area around the site of disposal of carcasses as energy efficient technology used by the company promises removal of foul smell as the waste is processed in fully enclosed bio-reactors. The company wants the civic body to provide land and infrastructure along with Rs100 per tonne as handling charge to partly offset huge cost of the project. As per an estimate, the company needs to invest around Rs35 lakh per tonne as project costs, excluding land and other infrastructure expenses.

State imposes ban on Shankarpats

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/State-imposes-ban-on-Shankarpats/articleshow/10046800.cms

NAGPUR: It's time for the district administrations, specially the police department, to literally take the bull by its horns. With the government banning bull races, the popular 'Shankarpats' will be thing of the past in the state.


A GR issued by agriculture, animal husbandry, and dairying and fisheries department banned bull races and its exhibition. This is in the backdrop of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) putting bulls in the list of animals whose performance should not be allowed. Maharashtra is the third state after Punjab and Goa to come out with such a GR.


On July 11, this year, the MoEF said unlike bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers and lions, henceforth bulls shall also not be exhibited or trained as performing animals under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.


Bull races (Shankarpats) have been a symbol of amusement for many villagers in the state. Many leaders use Shankarpats to gain political mileage while many are directly involved in organizing such races.

Anil Kataria, president of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Ahmednagar, who is spearheading a movement in the state against bull races for the past 25 years, says in Maharashtra, bull races are held in around 50,000 villages. Kataria has been touring villages including those in Vidarbha appealing people to shun bull races.


"Most races are even held for gambling. Such races are held thrice a week in places like Panvel and Kalyan," Kataria said. Shankarpat is also a popular event in Western Maharashtra districts like Ahmednagar, Nashik, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur. In Nashik, bull and horse races are very popular. In Vidarbha, Nagpur, Gondia, Wardha and Amravati districts are known for holding Shankarpats.


Ahmednagar district collector Dr Sanjeev Kumar Agrawal has even issued a circular on September 14, asking officials to ensure that ban on Shankarpats is enforced. Talking to TOI, Agrawal said, "Villages in Ahmednagar are known for Shankarpats. We will try to educate people on the consequences of organizing bull races."


Kataria said Shankarpat implies cruelty to bulls and there is a provision of fine and imprisonment in the related laws. In 2004, Kataria had even filed a petition in Aurangabad high court. In 2008 the court ruled in his favour. "Now that bull races have been officially banned by the Centre, I would write to the chief ministers of the other states to enforce the ban. If not followed, it will also mean contempt of court," he stated.


Meanwhile, Naresh Kadyan, representative of International Organisation for Animal Protection (OIPA), hailed the state move but wanted clarification from MoEF on definition of bull and ox.


Kadyan said the present Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is toothless and should be replaced by Animal Welfare Act 2011. Besides, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is an ineffective body which should be replaced by National Commission on Animal Welfare (NCAW), he added.

India's holy cows turn violent

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8776637/Indias-holy-cows-turn-violent.html


New figures show seventeen cases of attacks on people in the first half of this year – more than the total number of bites since 2004. Animal rights groups blamed a sharp increase in the number of people bitten by cows and buffaloes in the capital New Delhi on a surge in building projects which have blocked their traditional grazing routes and left the creatures bewildered and panicked. 

Campaigners said many of the cows and buffaloes wandering Delhi's roads are owned and neglected by illegal dairies who are concerned only about their milk production. 

Vasanti Kumar, of Stray Relief and Animal Welfare (STRAW) said the situation had been created by the failure of local officials to keep cattle off the streets, and by a reverential public which feeds them. 

"They are a cause for concern and cause many accidents, not just hurting humans but themselves. Many people feed the cows and other stray animals in public places as they are considered to be sacred. This has to stop," she said. 

Uma Menon of the charity Friendicoes said the increase in traffic in the city had made the cows more aggressive. "Bovines are programmed with a map to reach back to their homes but with the fast-changing city landscape, they get strayed and panic," she said. 

"Animals hear much higher frequency sounds than humans, there is too much noise produced by traffic. This can be a cause of animals turning violent in public places, although their instinctive behavior is not to hurt.

'We need better systems for pet relocation'

http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_we-need-better-systems-for-pet-relocation_1588409

Relocating pets is a costly affair. That’s why most people abandon their expensive pets when moving to another city. Pet relocation experts tell Anu Prabhakar why we need more awareness and better systems to ensure pets’ well-being.

"Is this a good time?” asked the anxious whisper on the other end of the telephone line. Anupama Vinayak peered through droopy eyelids to look at the clock. 3.00am. “I only have two questions for you,” the voice continued, urgently. “Okay,” said Vinayak with a sigh, settling for what she would know would be a half an hour talk.

Through her three-year-old company Furry Fliers, Mumbai-based pet relocator Vinayak has helped hundreds of pets relocate to or outside India along with their families. Part of the job profile is to play ‘3am’ friend to many (obsessive) clients, who ask amusing questions about their pets just before the move. “Owners ask me, ‘My pet is used to traveling in an air-conditioned car. Would that be a problem?’” she laughs.

 

From Lack of awareness to abandonment

 Sadly, that every pet has a loving owner is more myth than reality. Delhi-based pet relocator Harsh Sandh of Pet Movers admits that the lack of awareness about pet relocation is so alarming that people often abandon their pets on the streets or pass them over to a relative who knows nothing about pet care. High relocation costs act as a deterrent. “Cargos are very expensive. For some reason, people are a little hesitant to spend too much on relocating their pets.”

Sandeep Sharma of the Delhi-based company India Relocation, agrees. “If you are shifting a Labrador, the dog’s IATA-approved cage alone will cost about Rs15,000 to 17,000.” Depending on the size of the pet, the cost can even go up to Rs25,000. “People are reluctant to invest that kind of money on relocating their pets.”

“I get calls from people asking about the price,” adds Sharma. “After that, they never get back.” Vinayak was once sent a 3-month-old puppy from Madagascar in a miniscule cage fit for a rat. “The puppy was not given food or water for hours. I gave the owner a piece of my mind. They may not have meant to be cruel, but some want to save money. It’s unfair to the pet. You have to put your 300% when it comes to caring for your pet.”

Death in the clouds

On May 9, 2009, Rajendra Tandon, chairman and managing director of public sector company, boarded a Delhi-bound Jet Airways flight. He took his two pugs with him. But on reaching the IGI airport in Delhi, he noticed the airline’s staff members hovering around his dog’s cages. He immediately sensed something was wrong.

Tandon rushed to Apollo Clinic within the airport and found no doctors there. “There were no doctors to even attend to passengers,” he says. “We went out of the airport and managed to find a vet, who informed us that the pugs died a few minutes after the flight took off from Mumbai, due to a lack of oxygen.”This year, a consumer court in Delhi ordered Jet Airways to pay Tandon Rs1.4 lacs. The pilot hadn’t switched on the AC in the live animals’ compartment and were hence blamed for the pets’ deaths.

According to Tandon, the airline has decided to file an appeal to a higher consumer court. A Jet Airways spokesperson explains that the airline no longer carries snub-nosed dogs and cats as they are more susceptible to temperature and breathing difficulties on account of the structure of their face and nose. “This badly affects the dog or cat to the point that the animal may die,” says the spokesperson.

But Tandon is far from being pacified. “If there is a problem with the system, why don’t we do something, instead of stopping their service?” he asks.

The media and pet associations’ attention that Tandon got after the death of his pugs was expected. But the most unexpected moment came in the form of a call from Indian actor and politican Shatrughan Sinha, who wanted to meet Tandon. Once in Delhi, Sinha met Tandon and gifted him a baby pug. “He still keeps in touch, asking about the pug, who we have named Masakalli,” laughs Tandon.

No country for animals

Sandh calls India one of the least pet-friendly countries in the world. “Some airlines ask for the pets to be at the airport five hours in advance, before they can be placed at the airline’s cargo hold. The cargo section is a horrible place for a pet to be in for five hours: There is hot air, a lot of noise, shouting, chemicals… I feel sorry for the pets. So either my wife or I take the pet to the airport and wait in an air-conditioned car, till its time.”

He also points out that airports in India should be more pet-friendly with a veterinarian on duty. “Lufthansa has a waiting area just for pets in Frankfurt airport that’s a silence zone and 10kms away from the landing strip. They even have special handlers for pets. When can we have this in India?” Sandh wonders aloud.As of now, Air India, SpiceJet and Jet Airways are the only flights operating in India that accept pets on board. Vinayak feels that more airlines should be open to the idea of carrying pets on board. “It’s not economically viable for airlines to have pets,” she explains. “They have to air-condition the live animals’ compartment just for one pet, and there are risks involved.”

Army to save Kashmir stags

http://www.indiablooms.com/EnvironmentDetailsPage/environmentDetails180911a.php

Jammu, Sept 18 (IBNS) There is good news for wildlife lovers in Kashmir. For the first time in past many decades, the population of Kashmir Stag (red deer), popularly known as ‘Hangul’ has increased in the strife torn state and now army is joining hands to protect them.  

The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), an infantry regiment of the Indian Army mostly consisting of volunteers from the state of Jammu & Kashmir, is collaborating with J&K state forest department in saving this magnificent animal and has started a “Save Hangul Campaign”.

Hangul or ‘Cervus Elaphus Hanglu’, is the state animal of Jammu and Kashmir. Found mostly in the forest ridges of the Dachigam National Park and wildlife sanctuary and surrounding forest areas in Kashmir, the majestic animal is known for its reddish coat and two antlers.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) had put the Hangul in its Red List, as endangered in 1996. Hangul is also found in the list of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild Flora and Fauna.

Their dwindling numbers have been attributed to poaching, loss of habitat due to dam projects and presence of military and paramilitary forces in the valley.

“Due to ragging conflict in valley the number of Hangul was on decline. Last year the number was 172 and this year it has reached 218,” said Shant Manu, Commissioner Secretary, Forests, J&K government adding that the number of Hangul has started to increase.

Thanks to the state’s conservation programme, the population of this exquisite red deer has increased to 218 from 172. The J&K wildlife protection department in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has been regularly monitoring the Hangul population in Dachigam National Park and its adjoining areas since 2004.

Recently, the department got a fresh census report conducted through Wild Life Institute of India, Dehra Dun in areas of Dachigam National Park, spanning Braine, Khanmoh, Chesmashahi, Wangath, Khrew, Deer Conservation Reserves, Surfrao, Akhal, Mammar and Najwan which revealed that Dachigam National Park and its adjoining areas house 218 red deer. 

The population of Hangul or the Kashmir Stag was 197 in 2004, 127 in 2008 and 172 in 2009. The JAK LI which has a chequered history and has worked on Siachen Glacier, in Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan, in UN Peacekeeping in Somalia and also in Kargil war and has also a Param Vir Chakra for Naib Subedar Bana Singh to its credit, is now all set to save Hangul.

Shant Manu, who called for collective efforts to save the endangered species, thanked JAKLI for launching “Save Hangul” campaign and added that their patriotic favour, commitment, training and discipline will be a great boon and asset in the conservation efforts for this wonderful animal.

Major General JP Alex, head of JKLI Centre, Kashmir valley said that JKLI will start conservative efforts and it will be spearheaded by the regimental officers association and “now on JAKLI would adopt the Hangul as a mascot”.

“Preservation of Hangul is challenge for us and the challenge begins now,” said Brigadier Somnath Jha of JKLI adding they will hereafter actively engage with the wild life authorities to work out the modalities and take this endeavor forward.

Chief wildlife warden of J&K A K Singh said his department is making efforts too since the stag or the Hangul would once roamed around in tens of hundreds in large swathes of valley, but is now on the verge of extinction.

Hunting, loss of habitat and several other factors have caused a decline in their numbers sounding alarm bells, he added. The J&K government is planning to start a captive breeding of the Hangul to save the state animal from becoming extinct.

Conservation Breeding Centers for Hangul are being set up at Shikargah-Tral and Darwudri-Mamar plan to create a gene-pool of the animal for posterity. What will give a new lease of life to Hangul is a Rs 22-crore species recovery plan for conservation of different endangered animals.

Innovation Redefined in Rural India

http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Innovation_Redefined_in_Rural_India-nid-91167.html 

Swayambhoo Sharma, Madanlal Kumawat, Chandan Agarwal
(Modified hand pump with tap and attachment for filling animal trough) Rajasthan/Delhi

Swayambhoo Sharma came up with an interesting solution to address the drinking water needs of animals, as lack of surface water sources and falling water table has made availability of clean drinking water a major problem in Rajasthan. 

He developed an arrangement such that every time people pump water for their use, 20 percent of pumped water will directly go to fill animal water trough. Another problem faced in hand pumps is that a single person finds it very difficult to pump and at the same drink water. Chandan, a first year student at IIMA came out with an idea of storing water in the body of the hand pump so that having pumped; one could use a tap and drink water like any other tap.

Yusuf Khan and Madan Lal Kumawat, two other innovators combined the idea of Chandan and Swayambhoo Sharma and developed a hybrid model.