Karuna Abhiyan 2026 Gives New Life to Over 14,000 Birds Injured During Uttarayan

Gandhinagar | Gujarat — In a powerful demonstration of compassion-backed governance, Gujarat’s annual Karuna Abhiyan once again proved that development and sensitivity can go hand in hand. During the recent Uttarayan festival, more than 14,690 birds injured by deadly kite strings were rescued and rehabilitated across the state, marking a remarkable 90 percent success rate, Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia announced on Monday.

The large-scale rescue operation, conducted from January 10 to January 20, saw 16,380 injured birds receiving emergency medical treatment under Karuna Abhiyan–2026, a state-wide initiative led by the Forest Department in collaboration with voluntary organisations and animal welfare groups.

“The Gujarat government, under the sensitive and firm leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, is committed to the welfare of all living beings. Karuna Abhiyan reflects this welfare mantra in action,” said Minister Modhwadia. “This year alone, nearly 90 percent of the injured birds were saved and given a second chance at life.”

Ahmedabad reported the highest number of rescues, where 7,040 birds were treated and 6,532 were successfully saved. Surat followed closely with 4,194 birds rescued out of 4,800 treated. Other major contributions came from Vadodara (649 rescues), Rajkot (553 rescues), and Gandhinagar (313 rescues). In total, injured birds were treated and rescued across 33 districts of Gujarat.

Sharing species-wise data, Modhwadia said pigeons accounted for the highest number of injuries at 13,636, followed by samdis (905), crows (281), shrikes (180), black ibises (137), owls (134), herons (121) and parrots (110). Overall, 41 different bird species were treated during the campaign.

Minister of State for Forest and Environment Pravin Mali highlighted the long-term impact of the initiative, noting that Karuna Abhiyan was first launched in 2017. “Over the past decade, more than 1.29 lakh injured birds have been treated, and over 1.18 lakh birds have been rescued, achieving a survival rate of more than 92 percent. This truly reflects the compassionate face of the Gujarat government,” he said.

To ensure swift response and treatment, the state set up around 450 collection centres, over 60 control rooms, and more than 480 treatment centres during the festival period. More than 650 veterinary doctors and 8,000 staff members and volunteers worked round the clock to rescue and treat injured birds.

For timely assistance, the Forest Department activated its 24×7 helpline 1926, WhatsApp number 83200 02000, and the Karuna Animal Ambulance helpline 1962, ensuring that no injured bird or animal was left unattended during Uttarayan.