Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has decided to start an annual 11 day long campaign named ‘Karuna’ from January 10 to 20 next year to take various step to help the birds and other animals injured owing to kite-strings and prevent such injuries through awareness during the coming Uttarayana, Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava today informed.

Wide spread awareness about the harms and dangers of banned Chinese kite-string and manja, which had claimed many human lives also during the festival in the past, will be a part of this campaign.

Addressing newsmen here Vasava said every year numerous birds and other animals become injured and die owing to the kite-strings during Uttarayana, the two day festival when large scale kite-flying takes place as a matter of tradition.

‘The Chief Minister has decided to start a well planned campaign Karuna with the active association of forest, animal husbandry, education and urban development departments to help such birds and animals and also spread awareness to prevent such injuries and deaths. The municipal commissioners and district collectors will directly supervise the campaign for which a helpline number will be started in each district headquarter. Various organizations active in the field of animal protection and veterinary doctors will also be part of the campaign,’ he said.

Make-shift dispensaries for the treatment of injured birds and animals will also be started and vehicles will be arranged to carry them to other vet-dispensaries and animal care points.

After the two day Uttarayan festival school children will collect the kite strings spread all over, for destroying them under the campaign, the minister said adding that apart from awareness through vehicles and other medium, CD’s would be displayed in various schools about the campaign.

DeshGujarat