NTR dist collector warns of strict action against cockfights
NTR District Collector Dr G Lakshmisha releasing a poster against cockfighting during a meeting of the District Animal Welfare Committee in Vijayawada on Wednesday
Vijayawada: NTR District Collector Dr G Lakshmisha has warned that strict legal action would be taken if cockfights are organised anywhere in the district during the Sankranti festival.
He stressed the need to create widespread public awareness about laws prohibiting cockfights, from village to district level.
Presiding over a meeting of the District Animal Welfare Committee at the Collectorate in Vijayawada on Wednesday, the Collector released a poster titled “Conducting cockfighting and participation is a crime as per law.”
Speaking on the occasion, he said village, mandal and division-level committees constituted as per High Court directions should remain alert and conduct extensive awareness programmes with the participation of public representatives. He instructed officials to hold gram sabhas and sensitise people that organising or participating in cockfights is a punishable offence.
Dr Lakshmisha directed joint teams led by VROs, Tahsildars, and RDOs to conduct intensive inspections to ensure cockfights are not held anywhere. He clarified that violations would attract criminal action under Section 10 of the AP Gaming Act, 1974, and Section 34 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Collector also announced that Animal Welfare Fortnight would be observed from January 14 to 31, with awareness activities, rallies, student competitions, and the formation of Kindness Clubs in schools, in coordination with various departments.
NTR District Animal Husbandry Officer Dr M Hanumantha Rao, Krishna Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer K Kannama Naidu, DPO P Lavanya Kumari, DEO L Chandrakala, Animal Welfare Organisation representatives Ravi Kumar, Venkateswarlu, Aligineni Sri Padma, and others were present.
