BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has directed civic bodies to follow Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme guidelines and implement those in their areas in letter and spirit to check stray dog menace.
The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) which have been included in the programme are Municipal Corporations at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela besides municipalities at Baripada, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Paradip, Jagatsinghpur, Balangir, Choudwar, Phulbani, Puri and Bhawanipatna.
The ULB authorities have been asked to complete construction of infrastructure like operation theatre or procurement of equipment, including OT instruments and dog catching vehicle for their respective ABC unit by March 1, while the deadline for Paradip is April 1.Sources said while `5.24 crore has been received by urban bodies for implementation of ABC programme, so far only `1.37 crore has been utilised.