More ACs for Kolkata Mounted Police horses

Time of India

13-05-2025

Kolkata: While it is common in summer for police horses to fall ill due to intense heat,it is not often that eight horses fall sick and dehydrated on a single day. That is exactly what happened on Monday with the
, whose eight horses reported sick in a single morning."We
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had to administer quick cold baths and send them to the special air-conditioned chamber, the night rain and storm helping us to ensure that they are nursed back to health. All their outdoor exercises remain cancelled," recalled a Mounted Police official. Learning from the development, the Mounted Police unit sent an SOS to Lalbazar requesting three to four ACs to be set up at its Police Training School stable, which presently houses 27 horses.
"There already exist four ACs at the SN Banerjee Road where 38 horses are presently kept," said a police source.The incident has highlighted the urgent need for better infrastructure to protect these service animals during extreme weather conditions. The Kolkata Mounted Police (KMP), which has been operational since 1840, has only recently begun modernising its facilities to combat the effects of rising temperatures. According to KMP sources, the AC stables also fulfil the requirement of immediate action once horses feel the exhaustion. "
can be fatal if not treated promptly.
The symptoms include excessive sweating, rapid breathing, and elevated body temperature, which we observed in our affected horses," said a source."AC resting places have become a necessity to keep the horses free from heat-related diseases so that they stay fit to do rounds in the vast stretches of Maidan in a hot and sultry afternoon. If a horse suffers from a heatstroke, it needs to rest in an AC chamber for at least 3 to 4 hours," said another officer.
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The mounted unit plays a crucial role in crowd control during major events and regular patrolling of the Maidan area. With the IPL held in the peak summer season and amidst increasing temperatures, the health of these horses has become a major concern for the department.Besides the AC stables, other measures to keep horses safe have also been undertaken. "As a heatwave-like situation is prevailing in Kolkata, we have started monitoring the water intake of the horses at the stable from early morning. We fill the water containers for each horse four times a day to ensure that each of them takes at least 20 to 25 litres of water a day," said Chatterjee. "We have also modified their patrol timings to avoid peak heat hours, increased water stations across patrol routes, and are providing electrolyte supplements to maintain their hydration levels," he said."We examine each and every horse that returns to the stable from Maidan," said an official at the stable. "The vets also suggest fodder that is easily digestible, and flax (linseed) is usually avoided. We also keep vets ready to treat the animals in cases of any emergencies," the official added.Kolkata: While it is common in summer for police horses to fall ill due to intense heat,it is not often that eight horses fall sick and dehydrated on a single day. That is exactly what happened on Monday with the Kolkata Mounted Police, whose eight horses reported sick in a single morning."We had to administer quick cold baths and send them to the special air-conditioned chamber, the night rain and storm helping us to ensure that they are nursed back to health. All their outdoor exercises remain cancelled," recalled a Mounted Police official. Learning from the development, the Mounted Police unit sent an SOS to Lalbazar requesting three to four ACs to be set up at its Police Training School stable, which presently houses 27 horses. "There already exist four ACs at the SN Banerjee Road where 38 horses are presently kept," said a police source.The incident has highlighted the urgent need for better infrastructure to protect these service animals during extreme weather conditions. The Kolkata Mounted Police (KMP), which has been operational since 1840, has only recently begun modernising its facilities to combat the effects of rising temperatures. According to KMP sources, the AC stables also fulfil the requirement of immediate action once horses feel the exhaustion. "Heat exhaustion in horses can be fatal if not treated promptly. The symptoms include excessive sweating, rapid breathing, and elevated body temperature, which we observed in our affected horses," said a source."AC resting places have become a necessity to keep the horses free from heat-related diseases so that they stay fit to do rounds in the vast stretches of Maidan in a hot and sultry afternoon. If a horse suffers from a heatstroke, it needs to rest in an AC chamber for at least 3 to 4 hours," said another officer. The mounted unit plays a crucial role in crowd control during major events and regular patrolling of the Maidan area. With the IPL held in the peak summer season and amidst increasing temperatures, the health of these horses has become a major concern for the department.Besides the AC stables, other measures to keep horses safe have also been undertaken. "As a heatwave-like situation is prevailing in Kolkata, we have started monitoring the water intake of the horses at the stable from early morning. We fill the water containers for each horse four times a day to ensure that each of them takes at least 20 to 25 litres of water a day," said Chatterjee. "We have also modified their patrol timings to avoid peak heat hours, increased water stations across patrol routes, and are providing electrolyte supplements to maintain their hydration levels," he said."We examine each and every horse that returns to the stable from Maidan," said an official at the stable. "The vets also suggest fodder that is easily digestible, and flax (linseed) is usually avoided. We also keep vets ready to treat the animals in cases of any emergencies," the official added.