Hyderabad faces a critical gap in disaster management as the state currently lacks a proper framework for animal rescue and protection during emergencies, according to animal husbandry minister Vakiti Srihari. The minister revealed this significant shortcoming during Telangana's pioneering conference on animal-inclusive disaster risk reduction held on Thursday.
Comprehensive Animal Rescue Strategy in Development
Minister Srihari confirmed that experts will soon collaborate with disaster response teams to create a specialized animal-focused evacuation and safeguarding plan. This crucial framework will eventually require cabinet approval before implementation. The minister expressed confidence that this deficiency in the state's disaster preparedness would be addressed promptly through systematic planning and expert consultation.
Mapping Livestock and Training Rescue Teams
HYDRAA commissioner A V Ranganath emphasized the urgent need for livestock population mapping across Telangana. "We are not even aware where most of these livestock are concentrated," Ranganath admitted, highlighting specific areas in Hyderabad where poultry markets cluster and agricultural outskirts where larger animals reside. The commissioner stressed that comprehensive mapping would enable the creation of a holistic rescue strategy.
Disaster response teams, farmers, and livestock breeders will receive specialized training to handle emergencies effectively. Ranganath pointed to unpredictable climate patterns making disaster response increasingly challenging, underscoring the necessity for enhanced early weather warning systems. The state currently operates approximately 156 Automated Weather Systems, but officials advocate for significant expansion to provide farmers with improved alerts.
Protecting Livelihoods Through Animal Safety
The conference, organized collaboratively by UNICEF and Humane World for Animals India, brought together policymakers, disaster management authorities, and sector specialists. Discussions centered on how Telangana's recurring floods, heatwaves, droughts, and cyclones continue to endanger more than 35 million farmed animals, directly affecting millions of families dependent on livestock for their livelihoods.
Kerala State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Sekhar L Kuriakose presented a successful model from Wayanad, where a permanent emergency evacuation shelter has proven instrumental in protecting animal lives during frequent weather extremes. The shelter features risk-resilient design with adequate feeding provisions, water supply, spacious accommodations for various animal sizes, proper grazing areas, ventilation, and integrated waste management systems including sewage treatment and biogas plants.
Speakers unanimously proposed establishing similar dedicated animal shelters throughout Telangana to ensure safe evacuation during disasters, potentially transforming the state's approach to animal-inclusive disaster management.
