What is more sinful than a nation playing the role of a silent audience towards the cruelty and
inhumanity of animals? A Nation that treats animals equivalent to Gods on some occasions fails
to acknowledge the ill-treatment towards the same creatures on most occasions.
Abraham Lincoln rightly said, “I am in favour of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” Sadly, not many people feel the same way as Lincoln does.
It is a common sight to witness ill-treatment of animals in a country like India where people find
it entertaining to pelt stones at dogs and tame bulls in the name of celebrating cultural integrity. Several instances of animal cruelty cases have surfaced over the last year that makes us wonder if we are even humans anymore.
The Central Government of India passed several laws to curb the inhuman treatment of animals. One such prominent Act is The Prevention of Cruelty Animals Act, 1960. The Parliament of India enacted in 1960 to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals and to amend the laws relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals.
While many cases persist over the cruelty of animals, there exists a dire need to bring the
cruelty endured by egg-laying hens to the notice of people. The succulent image of fried chicken displayed over thousands of fast food chains makes people turn a blind eye to what goes behind those shelved foods.
An alarming number of 40 crore hens are confined to barren wire battery cages over the entire duration of their productive life. According to the rules laid down by the Animal Welfare Board of India (a statutory body set up under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act), the hens need enough space to spread their wings and move around with access to a nest box and a perch. But in the name of commercial egg production in our country, the hens are subjected to cramped space of less than an A4 size sheet of paper. While the battery cage system has been abolished in the European Union and the U.S. adopting the cage-free method of egg production, India still fails to implement the same despite several pleas raised against the usage of battery cages.
When caged in such extreme conditions the hens are exposed to diseases such as
osteoporosis and a fatal fatty liver condition, which is brought about by stress and lack of
movement. Antibiotics are used to reduce the risk of such diseases, but the usage of antibiotics
in their feed causes unsafe human consumption of poultry.
Court proceedings against battery caged hens:
- In 2012 the Animal Welfare Board of India issued an advisory to the Environment Ministry to phase out the usage of battery cages for egg-laying hens by January 2017.
- The Supreme Court in 2016 lashed out at the government for the lack of action taken to curb the usage of battery cages.
- Retired Justices A K Sikri and S N Dhingra wrote to the Union environment ministry urging them to come up with better conditions for the egg-laying hens.
- The Law Commission on 21st July 2017 suggested new rules and to stop cruel practices against egg-laying hens.
- The Delhi High Court on November 6th, 2018 ordered the use of bigger cages for hens after hearing the numerous petitions filed in public interest litigations.
- The Delhi High Court also directed the Secretary of Environment Ministry to establish a committee to lay down rules and guidelines for better breeding and transportation of poultry with consultation from the Law Commission and Animal Welfare Board of India.
It’s saddening to know that change can be implemented overnight to safeguard the interests of
certain influential people while it takes aeons to amend rules to save the innocent lives of
animals. The Government and the Law of India fail to bring in stringent measures to curb the
usage of battery cages on egg-laying hens despite having an immense capacity to do so.
Several states in India do not have an independent State Animal Welfare Board and where
there is one it hasn’t been functioning to its fullest capacity.
The day a nation and its people strive to not belittle the lives of innocent creatures is when one
can safely say that a country has progressed and attained the stage of development. Until then
the question of “Are we human anymore?‘ hangs around us grimly.
Sources
Battery Hens
Business Management 
Good Job Ashwin !!!
You tear apart the backstage of the chicken industry like no one else !!
Your talk and thoughts might make me give up eating chicken before our course ends..
Thoughts and wishes for the innocent hen…
LikeLike