Lok Sabha Question No. 2487 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-03
Subject: Crime Against Animals
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed, Behanan Benny

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA

UN STARRED QUESTION NO 2487 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 RD  AUGUST, 2021

## CRIME AGAINST ANIMALS

## 2487.    SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.: SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपाऱन , पशुपाऱन और डेयरी मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government maintains any official data on crimes against/relating to cruelty to animals, such as abuse, theft, rape (bestality);
- (b) if so, the details thereof, including where such data can be publicly accessed and the total number of such crimes committed since 2014, year-wise;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether there is any National Helpline or other similar mechanism/portal for citizens to report animals in distressed;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor;
- (f) whether Government intends to launch such a mechanism; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof, and if not the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a)  The  Government  does  not  maintain  any  crime  records.  However,  the  Animal  Welfare Board of India maintains a data of complaints on reported cruelty to animals.The Wildlife Crime Bureau  also deals with the violation of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

(b)  &  (c)  The  data  on  crimes  relating  to  cruelty  to  animals  maintained  by  the  Law enforcement  authority  of  the  concerned  States  and  Union  Territories.The  Animal  Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in their annual report publishes the details of the complaints received in  regard  to  the  animal  cruelty  alongwith  the  action  taken.  The  number  of  complaints received in the Animal Welfare Board of India regarding cruelty to animals are forwarded to the concerned States /Union Territories for taking necessary action. The details from the year 2015-16 to till date (as on 25.07.2021) is given hereunder:

|   Sl. No. | Year    | Number of cruelty cases forwarded to the States/UTs   |
|-----------|---------|-------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | 2014-15 | 155                                                   |
|         2 | 2015-16 | 228                                                   |
|         3 | 2016-17 | 256                                                   |
|         4 | 2017-18 | 225                                                   |
|         5 | 2018-19 | 144                                                   |
|         6 | 2019-20 | 300                                                   |
|         7 | 2020-21 | 383                                                   |
|         8 | 2021-22 | 210 (as on 25.7.2021)                                 |

(d) to (g)  The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is a statutory body. It is an advisory body to the Central and State Government on the issues related to animal welfare including cruelty meted out to animals.

The implementations of the statutory laws are primary duty of the State Government as per the  Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  State  Government  shall  prevent, detect,  register  and  investigate  crime  and  prosecute  the  criminals.  The  AWBI  has  been writing  regularly  to  the  State  Governments/Union  Territories  to  prevent  cruelty  to  animals and implement the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and its Rules effectively.

The AWBI is periodically addressing the letters to the State Governments/UTs regarding the complaints received and request them to take necessary action against the offenders as per law.The AWBI is also regularly addressing the  State  /Union  Territories  to  establish  or  reconstitute the State Animal Welfare Boards and District Society to Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (DSPCA) in every district to prevent unnecessary pain or suffering to animals.

The AWBI has its own number i.e. 09650609880 and email id animalwelfareboard@gmail.com to report the case of cruelty to animals / distressed animals or any other issues pertaining to welfare of the animals for immediate necessary help.

*****