Stakeholders of Kambala (buffalo race on a slush track) celebrated the President promulgating “The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017” on Monday, by bursting crackers at Ballalbagh here on Tuesday.
It would pave the way for organising Kambala in the coastal districts once the State government issued a notification to this effect.
Speaking to reporters, Barkuru Shantarama Shetty, president of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Kambala Samithi, said that the validity of the Ordinance would be for six months after the notification during which Kambala could be organised.
But if Kambala were to be organised permanently without any legal hurdle, the State Assembly would have to pass the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill 2017.
T.B. Jayachandra, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, has assured the samithi of making all efforts to pass the Bill in the coming winter session of the Assembly. Once the Bill becomes an Act, there would be no hurdles to organise Kambala.
The samithi thanked all leaders who made efforts to get the Ordinance passed.
The promulgation of the Ordinance has boosted the morale of Kambala stakeholders, he said.
To a question, he said that the Kambala season began in the first week of November and ended in the last week of March. As many as 60 to 80 traditional Kambalas are organised in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi during this period. In addition, about 20 “Jodu Kere Kambalas” (which are in the form of race) are organised in the two districts during this period.
Kambala provided employment to about 5,000 people in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and Kasaragod in Kerala. It required about 20 people to handle a pair of buffaloes during the Kambala season.
