Major-General R.M. Kharb – the newly appointed chairman of Animal Welfare Board of India visited Hyderabad today to meet members of Telugu film industry and the press. The producers of Telugu film industry who participated in this meet include Dasari, D Rama Naidu, K Raghavendra Rao, Nagarjuna, Allu Arvind, KL Narayana, D Suresh Babu, KC Sekhara Babu, Gunnam Gangaraju, Nagababu, C Kalyan, R Narayana Murthy, Bhogavally Prasad, ML Kumar Chowdary and Chalasani Ramesh.

Amala represented AWBI and introduced RM Kharb to the press and the producers. Kharb said, “The government of India came up with Performing Animal Act in 2001 which says that the filmmakers should not show performing animals in cruelty related scenes. The animals in films should be treated with love and compassion. The producer who want to show performing animals in his film should send the request to obtain NOC (No Objection Certificate) from AWBI in Chennai 30 days prior to shoot describing how he/she is going to use performing animal in the film. Then AWBI issues NOC to the producer. The producer should send the finished reels of animal related scenes to AWBI where the scrutiny takes place. The producer will also be required to furnish this NOC to censor board. The filmmakers should make sure that they should not kick or hit animals in films to cause pain. The filmmakers need not take NOC when they show natural animals in the background. NOC is required only for the performing animals.”

Allu Arvind explained how the producers of Telugu films suffered due to the AWBI rules. Dasari pointed out the mistakes done due to rift between Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. R Narayana Murthy elaborated how the AWBI regulation is going against the laws of nature.