The Gujarat government on 4 August imposed an immediate statewide ban on the production, sale, storage, purchase, and use of glue traps — adhesive sticky boards widely used to catch rats and small animals — declaring the devices illegal across the state in a bid to end a practice it describes as inherently cruel. The ban was formalised through a resolution issued by the state's Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department.

What the Ban Covers

The prohibition is comprehensive: manufacturers, traders, and consumers are all bound by the order, which takes effect immediately. Glue traps work by coating a surface with a highly adhesive, non-drying substance that immobilises any animal or bird that makes contact. According to the government, trapped animals frequently sustain severe injuries while attempting to escape, and may ultimately die from starvation, dehydration, suffocation, or wounds inflicted during the struggle.

In a parallel directive, the Industries and Mines Department has ordered that glue traps be delisted from the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) procurement portal and removed from other e-commerce and online platforms with immediate effect.

Legal Basis for the Order

The government cited Section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which prohibits the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals. It also noted that the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has classified glue traps as highly cruel and illegal under its own guidelines — lending the ban a dual statutory footing at both the state and national advisory level.

All government departments, boards, corporations, and local self-government bodies have been explicitly barred from procuring or using the devices.

Penalties for Violations

Violators face legal action under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with any other applicable provisions of law. District Police authorities and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) have been authorised to register complaints and initiate enforcement action against those found in violation.

What Citizens Are Advised to Do

Traders have been directed to immediately clear existing stocks from their shelves. Members of the public have been advised against using glue traps in homes, offices, or factories. The government has encouraged citizens to switch to legally approved, non-lethal alternatives such as cage traps and other humane rodent-control methods.

Broader Context

Gujarat's move aligns with a growing national push against glue traps. The AWBI has repeatedly flagged the devices in circulars to state governments, and several municipal bodies across India have informally discouraged their use. This is, however, among the more comprehensive state-level bans — covering manufacture, online sale, and government procurement in a single order. Animal welfare advocates have long argued that glue traps cause prolonged suffering that far outweighs their pest-control utility, and the Gujarat order now gives that position the force of law within the state.

With enforcement responsibility vested in both police and the SPCA, how rigorously the ban is implemented — particularly against small traders and online sellers — will determine its real-world impact.