Gaja Melas

Submitted by Linkesh on Tue, 2005-03-01 05:30

A "Gajamela" is a festival involving decorated elephants in processions and displays. Kollam has possibly the largest number of these yearly all over India. The Constitution of India has a provision "Rules for the Maintenance of Captive Elephants 2003", but there is no active authority to enforce these rules. Elephants are typically made to walk long distances without proper food or water, and ill-trained mahouts beat the animals brutally. PFA has begun to monitor these festivals, and appeals to the authorities (including the President of the Tranvancore Devaswom Board, The Chief Wildlife Warden, Director of Animal Husbandry, Director & Secretary of the Animal Welfare Board of India) when malpractice is observed.

PFA previously launched a massive signature campaign, protesting against the cruelties suffered by captive elephants, and submitted it to the authorities. We repeatedly make pleas to the authorities, and try our best to ensure proper and just enforcement of the rules meant to protect animals.

Live and Let Live

The Kollam Chapter

This Kollam Chapter was formed in December 2003 by a group of similar-minded teachers. At that time there were no such organizations locally. It was registered under the Indian Trusts Act on February 5^th 2004, under the chairperson-ship of Smt Maneka Gandhi, MP.

We work via all avenues to improve conditions for animals locally. Among our most important programmes is the Animal Birth Control (ABC) initiative, wherein street animals are sterilized, vaccinated and returned to their colonies to live out their lives harmlessly and healthily. Another way we seek to reduce the stray population is by encouraging people to adopt Indian dogs from the street or shelters instead of buying foreign pedigrees.

Our awareness campaigns include schools and colleges, as a part of the functioning of the Kindness Club. We also conduct free veterinary camps in villages, during which free medicine and feed are distributed. We also vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies.

Our Animal Ambulance has been modified into a mobile Animal Clinic. The cost of the land for our Animal Shelter has been met via a grant from the National Chairperson Maneka Gandhi, and also through donations. The shelter construction has started, and is now half done. The grant for this construction was provided by the Animal Welfare Board of India.

Just one among many of our activities, the Kollam Chapter was instrumental in forming a Kindness Club to promote kindness and awareness among people.