Mumbai: 'Do no scale electric poles to rescue birds, call fire brigade', activists issue caution after mishap

MUMBAI: Animal activists in Mumbai have issued a note of caution among fellow animal lovers that they should not themselves try to climb up electric poles or tall trees in order to rescue birds which may be trapped on high-tension cables due to loose manja threads used for kite flying.
The advisory follows the tragic death due to electrocution of a man in Gujarat's Aravali district while he tried to rescue a bird stuck on a live wire.
Honorary district animal welfare officer of Animal Welfare Board of India, Mitesh Jain, told TOI: "A man from Malpur town in Gujarat, Dilip Waghela, had climbed up an electric pole in order to free a bird which was stuck to the cable due to a mesh of manja thread on June 10. Unfortunately, Waghela was electrocuted and died on the spot. We are therefore urging all animal lovers to notify the local fire brigade if they see any bird in distress in such a situation."
Jain, who also runs the Karuna Trust NGO in Virar, added: "The fire brigade personnel use safety ladders and ensure that the electric current is switched off before they rescue any bird from high tension cables. In Vasai and Virar we have often taken the services of firemen to rescue various birds from tall tree branches and electric poles. Also, it shows how dangerous the menace of manja threads can be as they continue to dangle from poles and trees long after the kite flying season is over.''
An Andheri based animal lover, Amrita Ghaswala, also informed that they had recently called the fire brigade to rescue a crow stuck from a tree branch at their Eco Height building in Marol, Andheri (east).
Meanwhile Jain added: "Immediately after the Makar Sankranti kite flying festival, several hundreds of birds were rescued from various city areas. In fact, weeks and months after this event, birds continue to unwittingly get trapped in stray manja threads. Hence our one day of fun (of kite flying) can prove to be a death knell for various bird species and at times humans, as was seen at Malpur last week."