All Mounted Police horses will now be wearing horse-diapers during their duty-rounds so that their droppings do not soil the greenery of the Maidan, police said.
The project, launched by Kolkata police on Friday, aims to decrease the level of pollution caused by horse excreta.
A senior officer at Lalbazar said the area in front of the Victoria Memorial — where thousands of tourists visit every day — is often spotted soiled with horse droppings.
“Earlier, whenever Mounted Police horses would go out on a stroll or were deployed on duty, a uniformed police person would accompany them with a broom and a bucket to remove their droppings,” said the officer.
The 69 Mounted Police horses that stay in the compound of the office of the deputy commissioner (central) on SN Banerjee Road are being trained to wear diapers for three months.
A diaper being tied to a horse near the Victoria Memorial Hall on Friday.
Picture by Pradip SanyalMost Mounted Police horses excrete thrice a day, at stipulated times.
But some poop at least three or four times more and the timings cannot be predicted, an officer said.
“They usually pass stool once after they get up in the morning and then twice within 30 minutes of having their meals. But some keep passing stool three or four times more throughout the day,” the officer said.
The police have introduced synthetic bags that are placed at the back of the horses and are strapped with six belts with the saddle.
A senior officer of the rank of assistant commissioner said apart from the Mounted Police, diapers would also be handed to the owners of the phaeton horses so the “overall hygiene of the Maidan” can be maintained.
According to the new protocol, each horse stepping out for duty will be made to wear a diaper. The diapers will be washed for repeated use.
However, the diaper rule has not gone down well with all horses.
The majority of them have fallen in line but a few are proving to be petulant.
“We have some really obedient stallions like Robin Hood, Summerhill and Caiden, who have gladly accepted the change and do not move an inch when we put the diapers on them. But there are a few mares like Nadia, Margarita and Priyadarshini, who start kicking and throwing their front legs in the air once there is any effort to tie a diaper,” said the officer.
