Kalina lab faces Peta wrath

The People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (Peta) filed a complaint against the directorate of forensic science (DFS) laboratory in Mumbai for violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 by carrying out experiments on animals.

Information obtained under the RTI Act indicated that the DFS laboratory, which comes under the home department of the state government, was conducting experiments which were violating the Act.

Peta has also sent a letter to the Committee For The Purpose Of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), urging it to take appropriate action against the directorate.

“Earlier, Peta had received a compliant about the directorate using rabbits to withdraw blood from their jugular vein and that they are randomly bred for the purpose,” said Dharmesh Solanki, senior campaign coordinator, Peta. The 1960 Act requires institutes that perform experiments on animals to register with the CPCSEA and follow its guidelines.

“The DFS has failed to conduct any institutional animal ethics committee meeting or approve the animal experimentation protocols despite being registered with the CPCSEA for the last seven years.

It also failed to maintain all records as per CPCSEA guidelines,” said Solanki.