ENDANGERED DONKEYS SLAUGHTERED

Donkeys are illegally being slaughtered on the banks of Eluru Canal in West Godavari and the remains are being dumped in the canal, endangering public health.

Donkeys are named in the extinction list. Yet, hundreds of them across the country and in Andhra Pradesh are being slaughtered for meat. Belief is that donkey meat can cure respiratory and breathing problems and increase the sexual potential of humans.

According to sources, many donkey meat shops exist on the sly in Gunturu, Cherukupalli, Bapatla, Tadepalli, Vetapalem, Chirala in Guntur, Krishna and Prakasam districts. The sellers are bringing the donkeys from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

For the past two years, animal activists in Maharashtra are lodging complaints on illegal transport of donkeys. Some cases were filed.

Donkey meat is sold at `600 per kilo. The meat sellers are buying the meat at `15,000 to Rs.20,000 per donkey. Meat sellers say meat shops in Krishna, Guntur and Prakasm chose Eluru for selling the meat.

Animal rescue organisation secretary Gopal R. Surabathula said donkeys are being carried to Andhra Pradesh from other states. Nobody makes any effort to curb it, though there are so many check-posts along the way of its transportation. He lodged a complaint with the DGP Andhra Pradesh, seeking stoppage of illegal transportation and killing of donkeys. Sale of donkeys is rampant in several districts in the state, the complaint said.

He said that the survival of donkeys is at serious stake. It has almost vanished from the state while donkeys are illegally transported from other states.