'Basanti' calls for ban on horse carts

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'Basanti' calls for ban on horse carts Ashwin Aghor / DNA

Monday, September 7, 2009 3:10 IST

 

It's payback time for Sholay's Basanti. Once her beloved Dhanno gave her all

to rescue Basanti from the bad guys. Now Basanti has volunteered to save

Dhanno's clan.

 

This is not the storyline of a Hindi potboiler. In a heartwarming incident

in real life, actress and danseuse Hema Malini has come forward to save

ponies in Kalyan and Dombivli.

 

Moved by a case of cruelty to a pony, the former member of Parliament has

written to the regional transport officer, Kalyan, urging him to stop

issuing licences for the use of ponies for joyrides and to pull small carts

in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation area.

 

The Plant and Animals Welfare Society (Paws), Thane, was informed about the

injured pony on August 30. " The pony, seriously injured and profusely

bleeding, was lying unattended at Doodh Naka in Kalyan, " said Nilesh

Bhanage, founder of Paws, Thane.

 

" Our volunteers immediately rushed to the spot and administered first aid to

the animal before sending it to the Bombay SPCA hospital. " The animal was in

great distress and its leg is likely to be amputated, he said.

 

On learning of the incident, Hema Malini wrote the letter to the RTO

informing him that the case showed how tonga owners inflict cruelty on their

animals. On behalf of all animal lovers, she requested the assistant

commissioner of police (traffic) and the RTO to stop renewing the licences

of tonga and pony owners without checking the health of the animal and its

ability to pull a load.

 

" In these days of modern and convenient modes of transport, animal-pulled

carts should not be used as a mode of transport, " Hema Malini said in the

letter. She said she had urged her fans to stop using horse carts.

 

Mansi Bhanage, also a trustee of Paws, Thane, said, " There has to be strict

monitoring of such abuse by the local prevention of cruelty committee

appointed by the district collector. Offenders must be penalised and jailed

for their actions. "

 

 

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Nilesh Bhanage

+91 9920777536

www.pawsasia.org

www.freewebs.com/pawsproducts

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HigxbMqfh0