Kolkata: West Bengal Animal Rights Activists’ Front (WBARAF), a city-based forum of animal lovers which protects, rescues and advocates for community and stray animals, organised a march in the city on Sunday. The rally focused on raising awareness and standing against the severe suffering of street animals, like dogs, cats and birds, caused by the noise of illegal and loud firecrackers, advocating for a noise-free, compassionate society.Over 100 members of WBARAF, led by its president, actor Sreelekha Mitra, gathered in front of Academy of Fine Arts and marched up to Rashbehari More. The participants held placards saying ‘Let animals live in peace’, ‘Say no to firecrackers’ and ‘celebrate kindness not noise’, highlighting the intense psychological and physical harm suffered by community dogs, cats and birds due to bursting of loud firecrackers.The forum members pointed out that high-decibel firecrackers cause severe trauma, hearing damage, disorientation and fatal accidents among vulnerable street animals every year. “Our concern is about two issues. Animals are affected due to bursting of crackers during Diwali. Also, there is a plan to introduce a bill — the Animal Experiment (Street) Draft Rule 2026. We are trying to prevent the bill,” said WBARAF vice-president Rajkumar Singh.Mitra, the president of the organisation, voiced strong objection to the illegal detonation of loud firecrackers and demanded stricter enforcement of noise regulations by local authorities.“Every year this is a concern. The noise level has increased manifold. Not only animals, the high noise levels also affect the elderly. Every year, animals get affected, and I can understand how they feel from their characteristics. Dogs can hear more than 45 times higher than an average human. It is essential to stop this kind of violence and cruelty, and more awareness among citizens is needed on this. We are appealing to everyone,” Mitra said.“We do not know how strictly the 8 pm-10 pm time window for bursting crackers will be followed, so we request the administration to be strict in enforcing the rule. If the police and administration become active, then it will be possible to enforce the law. We have a full list of measures for the welfare of such animals, and we will also take up the issue of the draft experiment bill,” Mitra added.
