Mangaluru: While the Kambala season is set to take off in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts with the first buffalo race in Moodabidri on Saturday, there’s much uncertainty about its future with the Supreme Court expected to hear a plea against it on November 13.
Animal rights activists are objecting to the traditional sport, claiming it tortures the buffaloes, whose anatomy is not made for racing. After staying the sport briefly in response to their concerns, the state government passed an ordinance amending the Prevention of Cruelty Act to allow Kambala and received the green signal from the President for its Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017" on July 3 this year.
But not giving up, the activists have approached the Supreme Court against the ordinance and it has issued notices to the state and Union governments, asking their representatives to appear before it on November 13.
"Activists have been arguing that the anatomy of the buffalo is not fit for running. This is a very strong argument which we need to fight,” Kambala Academy president, Gunapal Kadamba told Deccan Chronicle.
"The only solution is to prove that the anatomy of the buffalo makes it fit to run. We consulted experts on this and have got a report in our favour. But the state government too should have a study done by an anatomist and veterinary experts to establish if the buffalo breeds used in Kambala are fit for racing. If these experts certify that the anatomy of the buffalo makes it fit to run, it will be easy to tackle the activists. Until the government does such a study there will always be the fear of Kambala being banned," he added.
