No.

9-14/2002/PCA

Dated: 06.06.2012

The District Collector, Collectorate Office, P.O. Nagpur, Maharastra 440 001.

Sir, Sub: Inspection of upkeep of animals in Amar Circus camped at Nagpur, Maharastra Reg.

With reference to the above cited subject, it is stated that the Board has received e-mail dt. 25.05.2012 from Shri Naresh Kadyan, an animal welfare activist(Copy enclosed) stating that the animals sheltered in Amar Circus presently camped at Nagpur are being exhibited as performing Animals In this connection, it is submitted that the Board has issued the registration of following animals vide letter of even number dated 13.5.2004:-

Elephant 4, Horses 6, Dogs 12, Hippo 1, Parrots 10, Camels 4, Bull 1.

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), is Statutory Body constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. This body was constituted for the promotion of animal welfare generally and for the purpose of protecting animals from being subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering, in particular. The basic function of AWBI is to keep the law in force in India for the prevention of cruelty to animals under constant study and also advise the Government on issues relating to animal welfare. In this connection, it is informed that the AWBI has been registering performing animals used in Films/Ad Films/Serials/Circus under Performing Animals (Registration) Rules, 2001 (Amended) 2002. As per Rule 14 of the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules, 2001, I am directed to request you to kindly carry out an inspection by forming an appropriate team consisting an official from Animal Husbandry Department, Govt. of Maharastra at Nagpur, alongwith Shri S.N.Kapoor, Co-opted Member of the Board M)09422104500 E-mail: snk170@gmail.com & an official from the Forest Department and direct the concerned authorities to take appropriate action immediately to furnish a detailed inspection report for each of performing /sheltered animals in the above Amar Circus, presently camped at Nagpur to the Board for information and further necessary action please. A copy of the proforma is attached herewith for information. During the inspection, the following aspects should be verified: a) Animal health Register b) Vaccination Register c) Veterinary Treatment Register d) Proper feeding and watering e) Ownership certificate of animals f) Number of animals with species g) Condition of cages h) Whether exhibiting in circus

i) Whether special permission taken for breeding in cage if so offspring thereof. j) Sufficient exercises undertaken or not k) Cruelty meted to animals if any It is requested that Inspection Report may kindly be forwarded in the enclosed format to enable the Board to take further action. Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

(S. Vinod Kumaar) Assistant Secretary

Encl: As above.

Copy to for information and immediate necessary action please.

1. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Govt. of Maharastra, P.O Nagpur, M.S with a request to depute an official of the Forest Department for the inspection. 2. The Director, Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi 3. The Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Govt. of Maharastra, Pune, M.S with a request to depute an official of the Animal Husbandry Department for the inspection. 4. The Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Nagpur, Maharastra 5. The District Forest Officer, Forest Department, Nagpur, Maharastra 6. The Commissioner of Police, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Nagpur, 7. Honble Chairman, AWBI 8. Shri S.N. Kapoor, Advocate, Co-Opted Member, AWBI with a request to kindly co-ordinate with the State Government Officials for ensuring the conduct of inspection expeditiously. 9. The applicant

Amar circus animals were registered by the AWBI and CZA but AFFRO RUSSIAN Amar Circus is not recognized by the above said Institutions, where as Bull performance is banned and Bull must be rescued cancelling its registration as performing animals. Semi blind Hippo can't perform nor move from one place to another in sub standard cages, performance by this animal is a violation of the section 3, 11 and 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and this abused Hippo needs attention at once its rescue, treatment, care, rehabilitation and retirement after booking the said illegal circus, the UN affiliated OIPA chapter in India demands FIR against AFFRO RUSSIAN Amar Circus for the violation of the IPC section 420, 120-B criminal conspiracy, cheating, misrepresentation and animal cruelty sections 3, 11 and 38 of the PCA Act, 1960. As per report Performance Rules also violated by this circus and the guidelines of CZA as well if we treat it as Amar Circus, no tranquilizer gun along with necessary equipments available with them along with full time veterinarian, no pre transport permit obtained by them as required under section 96 of the Cattle Transport Rules, 1978 amended in 2001, proper and regular reports should be submitted to all concerned by the circus but same was also violated, no iron ankush to handled elephants. If so called PFA, Nagpur in charge support abused animals be with the circus then her integrity became doubtful and all concerned Govt. agencies are duty bound to rescue and rehabilitate abused animals, stopping unnecessary pain and suffering to the performing animals for joy, entertainment, personnel gain and profit. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/AWBI-orders-inspection-of-AmarCircus/articleshow/13912840.cms NAGPUR: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, on Wednesday ordered inspection of upkeep of animals in Amar Circus camped at Kasturchand Park in the city. The probe has been ordered on a complaint filed by Naresh Kadyan, chairman of People For Animals (PFA), Haryana, on May 25. S Vinod Kumaar, assistant secretary of AWBI, under the ministry of environment & forest (MoEF), has asked district collector to constitute a committee with SN Kapoor, who is co-opted member of the AWBI, along with one officer each from the forest and animal husbandry department. Kapoor said he is in touch with the officials concerned and actual inspection will start after the constitution of the committee. District collector Saurabh Rao was busy with the guardian minister and hence was not available for comments. The AWBI was constituted for the promotion of animal welfare generally and for the purpose of protecting animals from being subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering, in particular.

The AWBI has been registering performing animals in films, serials, circus under Performing Animals (Registration) Rules 2001. On May 13, 2004, Amar Circus was issued registration by AWBI for 4 elephants, 6 horses, 12 dogs, 1 hippo, 10 parrots, 4 camels and 1 bull. The collector has been asked to carry out inspection as per Rule 14 of the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules and submit a report for each of the performing and sheltered animals in the Amar Circus. The committee has been asked to look into animals' health, vaccination and veterinary treatment registers, proper feeding and watering, ownership certificate of animals, number of animals with species, condition of cages whether exhibiting in circus, whether special permission taken for breeding in cage, sufficient exercises undertaken or not and cruelty meted to animals if any. Kadyan says, "In 2005 when Amar Circus was in Ludhiana in Punjab, we found that hippo was having opacity of eyes and he was not able to see. We got inspection done and performance of hippo was stopped. Making blind animals perform is cruelty. The circus virtually ran away from Ludhiana to Gurgaon. The same circus is now performing in Maharashtra." On the contrary, Karishma Galani, animal welfare officer and in charge of PFA, Nagpur, says the PFA will oppose any move to rehabilitate the hippo. "We did an inspection of Amar Circus animals and found that animals were fed well," she said. Another reason not to rehabilitate the animals is that there is no infrastructure with either the forest or the animal husbandry departments. "The animals are at least fed in the circus. They will be left to die if shifted elsewhere," Galani said. Why Circus Hippos Are Blind? The hippos are very large and ferocious animals. Its eyes are purportedly damaged so that control becomes easy, or may be due to dirty dingy water and atmosphere its eyes get infected leading to corneal opacity (cataract). How To Check Hippo Vision? Don't make noise or allow the circus people speak. Go silently towards its enclosure and show the animal food. If it opens mouth it's OK. If he doesn't it means something is wrong.