Besides city, ABC procedure may cover Wadi, Kamptee & Hingna

Nagpur: The state government has sanctioned Rs17 crore for animal birth control programme which may cover not only Nagpur city but also adjoining areas like Wadi, Kamptee and Hingna.
Confirming this, a senior official from Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) veterinary department told TOI that the urban development department approved the funds on April 4. According to the official, the office of animal husbandry department has suggested NMC to include nearby peripheries for ABC and anti-rabies vaccination drive as per Central Animal Board Control (Dog) rules 2001.
As per the department’s proposal, Rs 17 crore has been earmarked for sterilization procedure and anti-rabies vaccination of an estimated 1,04,580 dogs in NMC limits and three councils adjacent to the city. NMC requires Rs14.40 crore for sterilization of 90,000 stray dogs.
The government has also bifurcated the amount to be spent on catching stray dogs and their sterilisation.
As per Animal Welfare Board of India’s letter, the government has asked NMC to spend Rs200 each for catching stray dog, while for sterilization surgery and vaccination, a rate of Rs1,400 per dog has been fixed. So, the NMC can spend a Rs1,600 per dog.
Animal activist Aparna Modak pointed out that the earlier contract of ABC stopped midway during the pandemic on the pretext of paucity of funds. “Even the contract has not been terminated on record. They have pending bills amounting to just Rs 30 lakh. Instead of the eight week wait as suggested by the high court for the approval of Rs 17 crore, ABC can take off in two days if the pending bills are cleared,” said Modak.