Nilgiris-based animal welfare charity gets Rs 40 lakh from Tamil Nadu govt

UDHAGAMANDALAM: The India Project for Animals and Nature (IPAN), a non-governmental animal welfare organisation in the Nilgiris, has received 39.8 lakh under the Vallalar Palluyir Kaapagangal scheme launched by chief minister M K Stalin as part of Thiruvalluvar Day celebrations in Chennai.
IPAN is one of the five animal welfare organisations identified by the government for the grant.
Tamil Nadu is the first state that launched efforts to support animal welfare organisations and allocated 20 crore for the purpose in the budget. The government also revived the defunct Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board (TNAWB), founded in 2014, to help animal welfare facilities.
According to TNAWB, out of the 23 applications, 15 facilities were inspected and five organisations qualified for the fund. The remaining organisations will be inspected soon. The fund is mainly meant to feed the animals.
Founded in 2000, IPAN takes care of 300 animals including horses, donkeys, cows, goats, dogs and cats.
IPAN founder Nigel Otter, who received a cheque for 39.8 lakh from the CM, lauded the government for helping animal welfare organisations. “We get animals from other states also. In most of the cases, the owners of such animals are involved in court cases. Till the case is over, the animals are sent here for caring,” he told TOI.
Otter, who was born in the Nilgiris, chose to live with animals and founded IPAN on his three-acre land at Mavanallah. “We have another 50 acres surrounding the land. Owners of those lands are generous and came forward to sign an agreement with IPAN to allow the animals to graze there.”
Recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India, IPAN spends 4 lakh a month to feed the animals, besides wages to helpers in the facility. It also extends facilities such as animal birth control programmes and vaccination. The facility has been supported majorly by foreign funds, grants and sponsorships.