Diwali Firecrackers Taking a Toll on Animals

The celebration of Diwali has unfortunately taken a toll on wildlife as reports indicate that over 40 distress calls have been received by authorities in the past 48 hours. The cause behind these distress signals is the bursting of firecrackers, leaving animals, birds, and reptiles injured and displaced.

Source: PETA/YouTube

Pawan Sharma, the founder and president of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare and honorary wildlife warden with the state Forest Department, expressed concern over the increasing number of injured and displaced animals. The distress, he noted, is particularly affecting cats and dogs, with many of them being displaced due to the loud explosions of firecrackers. Despite the Bombay High Court’s directive to limit firecracker usage to the hours of 8 pm to 10 pm, the air quality has severely deteriorated, exacerbating the suffering of these animals.

Sharma highlighted the swift response of animal rescue teams from Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the forest department, and various NGOs operating in the city. These teams are actively engaged in rescuing distressed animals, and it is anticipated that the number of cases will continue to rise in the weeks following the festival. So far, the rescue teams have attended to six birds, two snakes, and a turtle, all with burn injuries.

In light of the escalating crisis, Sharma urged citizens to play a proactive role in reporting wildlife distress cases. He provided the toll-free helpline number 1926, managed by the forest department, for reporting such incidents. Additionally, cases of stray domestic animals in distress can be reported to BMC’s toll-free helpline at 1916.

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