Students save owl with pocket money

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http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060510/asp/northeast/story_6202498.asp

 

Students save owl with pocket money

- activist touched by act 0f charity

OUR CORRESPONDENT

 

 

Aizawl, May 9: For animal rights activist C. Luri, it was a poignant

moment.

 

Two schoolgirls, unable to bear the sight of a barn owl in captivity

at Aizawl's New Market, spent their month's pocket money to buy the

bird and delivered it into the safe hands of Luri. The barn owl is a

good buy for farmers and ranchers for its ability to control

rodents, better than traps, poison, or cats and at no cost.

 

Luri said, " Since they knew that I am an animal rights activist,

these girls came to our home and gave me the owl. When I tried to

pay them the money they had spent, they would not reveal how much

they had paid for the bird. So I was forced to let them go empty

handed. But their act of kindness will always remain in my heart. "

 

This " act of kindness " is rare in this state where hunting is a

favourite sport, especially in rural Mizoram.

 

Rural children take pride in perfecting their art of hunting birds

with slingshots and airguns.

 

Two years back, the Young Mizo Association organised a ceremony

where 349 schoolchildren of Sihphir Vengthar village, 20 km from the

state capital, had pledged in public not to target wildlife.

 

To encourage the children to stick to their promise, forest and

education minister R. Lalthangliana had awarded certificates to the

students, while Aizawl divisional forest officer Hmingdailova had

given them Rs 100 each.

 

Luri, who is one of the founders of the People for Animals group,

said many people in the state were also keeping wild animals as

pets. They avoid handing the animals over to the zoo for fear of

their being ill-treated, she added.

 

" We have visited the zoo on several occasions. We have spent an

entire day at the zoo and do not believe the animals are safe. We

have also seen that animals are not fed or given water for a whole

day. "

 

The People for Animals group is upset with the state government for

not taking any initiative to set up the Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animals as stipulated by a Supreme Court ruling.

 

Little has been done towards maintenance of sanctuaries as well.

More than four years ago, a non-governmental organisation, the

Sihphir Vengthar chapter of the YMA, took up the cudgels to build a

wildlife sanctuary in the state.