Nalsar University of Law here has established India’s first Centre for Animal law. Union minister for Women and Child development Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the centre at the Shamirpet campus on Friday.



Humane Society International will also play an important role in the functioning of the centre by steering and coordinate its activities.



The centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research. It will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in the government.



Noted animal protection activist and environmentalist Maneka Gandhi stressed the need for a centre for animal law considering the quantum of litigations in relation with animals in the country.

“Efforts are being made in the country by people with little regard to the animal human interface to eliminate predators such as snakes unleashing a rise in rodents that damage one fourth of the grain in the country,” she said. She argued for protection of camels, as dwindling numbers of the animal have impact on border security in Kutch of Gujarat.



She wanted law graduates to undertake gap studies in relation with animal rights in the country.



“There is a need to study impact of China on Indian animals, for instance tigers and their extinction due to demand for it's by-products, impact of diclofenac used on buffaloes and its impact on vultures etc,” she said. “Animal welfare is nothing but human welfare,” she stressed.



According to a statement, N.G. Jayasimha managing director HIS India and also the honorary director of the centre said : “we hope that the Centre will be the first of many institutions dedicated to research and advocate animal protection, the most ignored yet crucial branch of law because research shows that animal cruelty and criminal behavior against humans are linked”.