Committees to be formed to check cockfights: Collector Mohammad Imtiaz

Vijayawada: District Collector Mohammad Imtiaz and Superintendant of Police Ravindra Babu warned the people of stern action, if they were found to be involved in cockfights and other activities and violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts 1974 and 1960 during the upcoming Sankranthi festival in January.

A review meeting was held at the District Collector's camp office on Thursday with all officials concerned on preventing cockfights in the district. Speaking on the occasion, the District Collector said that to control cockfights at the upcoming festival in the district, village, mandal and division level monitoring committees will be established.

The committee members will be coordinated by village secretariat officers, women police and village volunteers and they should inform the committee members if they happen to see and cockfight in their area.

The District Collector warned all the cockfight organisers not to involve in such activities as stern action will be taken and cases will be filed against them. He said that the committee members should inform everyone about the tough action for organising cockfights through banners, pamphlets, posters and city cable adds.

The District Collector told the concerned officials to have special focus on Nizvid, Penamaluru, Kaikaluru, Kalidindi, Nandigama, Nandivada, Gudivada, Bapulapadu, Tiruvuru, Gampalagudem and others places in the district. He informed that instead of cockfights, rangoli, volleyball, kabaddi and other village games shall be organised.

Superintendent of Police Ravindra Babu said that strict surveillance would be deployed to stop cockfights, cases will be filed on people involving in cockfights and they have identified a few places and strict vigil has been arranged.

Joint Collector Dr K Madhavilatha, district revenue officer MV Prasad, Sub-collector Swapnil Dinakar, ZP CIO Suryaprakash Rao, Panchayat raj department officials, RDOs and others were present.