On the initiative of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Uttar Pradesh government has banned the use of spiked metal bits, the devices buried deep inside the horse's mouth and pulled to control or tame them. The government has also banned its sale, purchase and storage.
The decision will save horses and mules across the state, the extreme torture and pain that the spiked metal bits cause them.
Though the usage of these devices is already prohibited under Rule 8 of the Prevention Of Cruelty To Drought And Pack Animal Rules 1965, the government has re-imposed the ban after PETA approached the animal husbandry department, complaining about the blatant sale of the prohibited spiked bit.
In its letter, PETA India pointed out that the population of horses and ponies in Uttar Pradesh is around 0.76 lakhs, the highest in the country, as recorded in the 20th Livestock Census 2019 conducted by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
"These illegal torture devices lacerate horses' mouths and leave them with tremendous pain," said PETA India Senior Legal Counsel Swati Sumbly.
(Dr) U.P. Singh, director, animal husbandry department, has now issued orders to all chief veterinary officers (CVO) in districts across the state, directing them to re-enforce the orders with immediate effect.
"Use of spiked bits to control the movement of animals, especially horses, is banned. The department should carry out extensive drives across the districts to keep a check on the sale of these devices," U.P. Singh's order further states.
Officials of the animal husbandry department said, "these devices are generally used to control the horses, especially during weddings and rides."
The experts said there were other plain bits also that could be used instead of spiked bits, but people used spiked bits that caused an almost one inch deep wounds in a horse's mouth.
Lucknow and Bareilly, in particular, have witnessed extensive drives and workshops where the horse handlers were told the ill-effects of using spiked bits.
Braving the scorching heat, Tripura East records over 80 pc turnout
Despite the scorching heat, over 80 per cent of the 14 lakh voters cast their votes in the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held under a heavy security cover on Friday.
NCPCR initiates action against Mehbooba Mufti for 'using school children for election campaign'
In a significant development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday took cognisance of a report on 'X' accusing PDP President and Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat candidate Mehbooba Mufti of using school children for campaigning in the election.
PM Modi takes opposition to cleaners on EVMs, once again
Calling it a "historic day", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss a batch of petitions seeking mandatory cross-verification of the votes cast in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
LS Poll: Over 1000 villagers did not cast vote; shows protest against bad road condition, improper drinking water facility
Over 1000 villagers of Maldapara of Gandacherra subdivision in Dhalai Tripura district on Friday boycotted the second phase of polling to East Tripura constituency and refrained from casting their vote as part of their agitation against bad condition of road in their village.
PM Modi roasts Cong, says former PM's video on 'priority for Muslims' demolishes its canards
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stepped up his offensive on the Congress and said that his plainspeak on the party’s double standards has ruffled many feathers in the INDIA bloc, so much so, that they have launched a tirade at him for speaking the truth.
CBI recovers huge cache of arms, explosives from house of Shahjahan’s relative at Sandeshkhali
The CBI on Friday afternoon conducted a raid at the residence of a relative of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District and seized a huge cache of firearms and explosives.
Tripura records 54.47% turnout recorded till 1 PM in 2nd phase polling to East
The second phase of polling for the East Tripura Parliamentary constituency is underway amid tight security coverage, while 54.47% voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm on Friday. Voting commenced at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. Tripura recorded the highest turnout at 36.42 per cent till 11 am.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.