Every year the Government of India, through its statutory body, the Animal Welfare Board of India honours people and organisations who have worked in exemplary ways to befriend our country's animal life.

Among those honoured this year were Amala Akkineni, former South Indian film star (click to read more about her), industrialists like SEBI head D R Mehta, and long time animal activists like Chinny Krishna of Blue Cross, Chennai and Snehal Bhatt of the Gujarat SPCA. The most heart warming Prani Mitra Awards were given posthumously to two Rajasthani villagers.

Picture: Angela Kazi, Amala Akkineni and Lynn de Souza at the Awards function

Gangaram Vishnoi, a resident of village Chirayi in Jodhpur district, heard the sound of hunters' guns on July 13 last year. He rushed to the spot along with his brothers and caught hold of the hunter, Peeparam Bheel. In the process of protecting the deer while the hunter was shooting, Gangaram himself was shot in the chest, and succumbed to the bullet wound. His brother was also seriously injured. Besides the honour, the AWBI gave a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to his bereaved family.

In another similar sacrifice, Murali Bohra of Fallaudi, a renowned cow protectionist, lost his life when staging a dharna before a goods train carrying thousands of cows and calves for slaughter. The butchers and others accompanying the animals retaliated by catching Shri Bohra and cuttting him up mercilessly into pieces.

Also honoured was Goa's very own wing of People for Animals, with the Jeev Daya Puraskar. PFA Goa was founded in 1995 in response to a felt need for taking up issues pertaining to animal welfare in Goa. Its main concern has been to tackle the problem of proliferation of stray dogs. Traditionally, municipalities and panchayats organised shooting of stray dogs to keep the population in check. PFA Goa filed a writ petition in the High Court in September 1998 praying for a ban against this barbaric practice. And won the case. The court also directed the State Government to set up the State Animal Welfare Board, as per the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

PFA Goa manages three animal shelters at Panjai, Vasco and Ponda specifically for carrying out animal birth control (ABC) programs. Nearly 2000 dogs have been vaccinated against rabies, and 600 animals are sterilised per year.

PFA Goa also took up the issue of "dhirios" - bullfights, a traditional form of entertainment in Goa chiefly organised during festive occasions. A public interest litigation was taken up in October 1997, and bull fighting is now banned in Goa.

The organisation receives numerous telephone calls about injured animals, usually cattle, lying on the road hit by vehicles, and arranges for the rescue. Cows and bulls are taken to the Goseva Ashram at Usgao. Efforts are also made to find homes for abandoned pups and kittens, and boarding and kenneling facilities are now offered too.
This year, the Goa SPCA (whose chairman, Lynn de Souza is a life member of the PFA), has been conducting workshops on animal welfare and first aid in conjuction with the PFA. Watch out for the "alternatives to experimentation on animals" workshop which will be held in November.