Nagpur: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has issued orders to immediately ban use of glue trap method for catching rodents.
In a letter written recently to Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Indian Pest Control Association, the board stated that the glue trap method inflicts unnecessary pain and suffering to the rodents and is also against the spirit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Earlier in 2011, the board had issued similar directions to ban the traps which was reportedly not followed. “It has come to our notice that the glue traps are still widely manufactured and sold across the country. No strict action has been taken to ban the import or stop manufacturing of the glue traps and neither any such strong directions have been issued to restrain its manufacturing use and sell,” the board stated.
AWBI added that the use of glue traps is a cruel reoccurring practice . “People usually use multiple traps and keep using them within a very short period for controlling rats. This is in direct violation of section 11 of PCA Act for which a person is liable to punishment,” AWBI stated.
The punishment may extend to one hundred or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with both for the second or subsequent offence.
The board has asked chief secretaries of all states to issue appropriate directions to prohibit the manufacture, sale and use of glue traps. The board has further asked director general of foreign trade to issue directions to impose the ban on import of glue traps. The Indian Pest Control Association has also been asked to take similar action.