Animal hostels in smart cities: AWBI takes up issue with HUA Ministry

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has come up with the idea of animal hostels in smart cities and taken up the issue with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA), its chairperson S P Gupta said.

There were reports that animals were being removed from such cities, so the AWBI has taken the initiative, he said.

"Smart cities lack provision for animals. We have raised the issue with the ministry, states and union territories to make provision for animal hostels and shelters," Gupta said.

The board has suggested setting up of animal hostels and shelters preferably on 'gochar(grazing) land' or vacant, uncultivated plots to avoid animals being "thrown out of" smart and metro cities.

"Such animals are often slaughtered," Gupta said.

The ministry has to play a "vital role" by making model bye-laws having the provision of animal shelters in smart city and other metro city development plans.

A meeting with the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister on the matter is due this week, he said.