Power connection cut off, rabbits die of cold in Janpath

Two rabbits died of cold after electricity connection of the rabbit hutch in Janpath was snapped by the central public works department (CPWD), the civic agency which maintains Janpath Bhawan. Rajat Arora reports.

Two rabbits died of cold after electricity connection of the rabbit hutch in Janpath was snapped by the central public works department (CPWD), the civic agency which maintains Janpath Bhawan.

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Shopkeepers in Janpath who maintained the rabbit enclosure, very popular with kids and shoppers alike, said the rabbits died of cold as the heaters inside the hutch were not working as electricity was cut off.

The enclosure was built by CPWD in 2004 and was being maintained by the market association. The electricity and water supply was being provided by the CPWD. There are 30 rabbits left in the enclosure now.

"The CPWD disconnected the electricity supply without any notice on January 3. We had installed four heaters inside the enclosure to keep the rabbits warm but with no electricity, we have no option but to leave them at the mercy of nature," said Sanjeev Arora, president of Janpath Bhawan market association.

Arora said the rabbit hutch was earlier a garbage dump and that the market association worked hard to turn it into what it is today. They also employed a dedicated staff to look after the rabbits.

"We also got the Bhagidari award from the government of Delhi for turning the place around," added Arora.

Shopkeepers alleged CPWD engineers had "taken revenge" by snapping electricity supply to the rabbit enclosure as the association had spoken against it to the media and how unsafe Janpath Bhawan was.

However, CPWD engineers said the land where the rabbit enclosure stood was to be used as horticultural land.

"The land was not meant for the rabbit enclosure and electricity was being misused there. The supply was snapped after a few complaints were received," said a CPWD official, requesting anonymity.

Arora said, "We have written to the station house officer of Connaught Place police station stating that this is cruelty towards animals. I don't know whether these animals can survive this winter without heaters."