Panaji, May 8 (IANS): Active lobbying by animal rights groups has forced the central government to disallow dolphinariums in coastal states across the country, a leading NGO said Wednesday.

"The Minister of Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, today (Wednesday) announced that the ministry will not allow dolphinarium plans which have been proposed in different locations in India, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Noida, and Maharashtra to go ahead," a statement issued by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said.

PETA has claimed that it has been lobbying with the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) not to allow setting up of dolphin parks, which are being promoted by Indian companies in collaboration with foreign players.

"The proposal for a dolphinarium in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Noida and Maharashtra flies in the face of growing worldwide condemnation of confining wild animals or otherwise using them for human diversion," says a letter which was sent by PETA to Natarajan some weeks back.

PETA as well as the Federation for Indian Animals Protection Organisations (FIAPO) have been against the proposed dolphinariums, which they claim cannot be set up without being cruel to the marine mammals.

A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins, where they are kept in a large pool. They may also be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances.