The Gujarat government will conduct its annual Karuna Abhiyan campaign from January 10 to 20, 2025, aiming to rescue and treat animals and birds injured during the Uttarayan festival.
Karuna Abhiyan, launched in 2015, is a state-wide initiative providing urgent care and treatment to affected animals and birds during this period.
Addressing the specifics on Thursday, Forest and Environment Minister Mulubhai Bera detailed the preparations for the initiative and urged the public to take preventive measures to protect wildlife.
During Uttarayan, kite-flying activities often result in injuries to birds and wild animals caused by kite strings. Additionally, well-meaning individuals feeding animals, particularly cows, with items such as ghughari, alfalfa, and green grass, sometimes lead to cases of poisoning.
Minister Bera appealed to citizens to avoid flying kites during morning and evening hours when birds are actively foraging. He also emphasised the importance of avoiding illegal Chinese kite strings.
The Forest Department has made WhatsApp number 8320002000 and helpline 1926 available for reporting injured birds, with the provision of district-specific treatment centre information. Additionally, the Animal Husbandry Department’s 1962 helpline will assist in the treatment of injured animals and birds.
Since its inception, the campaign has rescued over 97,200 animals and birds. This includes 31,400 animals and more than 65,700 birds, with 17,600 rescues recorded in Ahmedabad district alone.
Abhiyan’s Preparations
Preparations for Karuna Abhiyan 2025 include over 600 veterinary doctors, 8,000 volunteers, and the establishment of more than 1,000 treatment centres. These will be operated by the Forest Department, Animal Husbandry Department, Municipal Corporations, and charitable organisations.
Facilities include 865 animal clinics, 34 veterinary polyclinics, 27 branch animal clinics, 587 mobile animal clinics, and 37 Karuna animal ambulances, which will remain operational even on holidays.
Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Mukeshbhai Patel, highlighted the deployment of 50 additional mobile units in urban areas like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Surat to enhance accessibility.
“Over 13,000 Animals, Birds Rescued in 2024”
Last year, under Karuna Abhiyan, over 13,800 animals and birds were rescued, including 4,400 animals and more than 9,300 birds.
In the past eight years, rescue operations in Surat district treated over 13,300 animals and birds, followed by Vadodara district with 10,700, Rajkot district with 8,300, Anand district with 6,800, and Junagadh district with 6,100.
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