BHUBANESWAR: Two years after facing backlash for its ‘cruel and faulty’ animal birth control (ABC) programme, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is under scanner yet again for allegedly taking up dog sterilisation programme at its newly-established canine shelter in Mancheswar in violation with the Centre’s new Animal Birth Control Rules - 2023.
Accordingly, the civic body has been issued notice by the Animal Welfare Board of India asking it to conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action to stop the ongoing ABC programme. In a letter issued recently, the Board requested the municipal commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of unlawful implementation of the programme, and submit action taken report within a week.
It further asked the Corporation to cancel the tender awarded to NGO Vets for Animals, that is conducting the ABC programme in its jurisdiction, with immediate effect. “The NGO has not been given project recognition for undertaking ABC programme in this area. The action taken report (ATR) in this regard should be forwarded to the Board within seven days for taking further necessary action,” wrote Animal Welfare Board of India assistant secretary Prachi Jain to the BMC commissioner.
BMC had inaugurated a dedicated dog sterilisation centre in Mancheswar last year with a capacity to accommodate 250 canines. It had further roped in Maharashtra-based NGO Vets for Animals, Karad to take up ABC and Antirabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes at the shelter.
However, allegations surfaced that the civic body is conducting the programme at the shelter through an organisation that lacks certificate of project recognition issued by the Animal Welfare Board as per the provisions of Rule 3 of the ABC Rules 2023 to take up ABC programme. “Only 21 agencies have been issued this Certificate of Project Recognition and the agency roped in by the civic body doesn’t figure in the list,” alleged former honorary state animal welfare officer of Animal Welfare Board Santosh Das.
Das said joint verification by the Animal Welfare Board of India and State Animal Welfare Board with the help of local authorities is also needed prior to commencement of such programme.
He further alleged irregularities in selection of district Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) representative to the local ABC implementation and monitoring committee notified by the Corporation in November last year. Based on the allegations, the Board has asked BMC to conduct an inquiry in the matter and furnish the action taken report. In another letter sent in February, the Board had pointed out that the civic body was yet to submit the inquiry report it had sought eight months back. Sources said the director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has also been asked by the Board to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, a veterinary and animal welfare official working under the chief district veterinary officer (CDVO) claimed the CDVO office had also not been intimated about the ABC programme being undertaken in the city at present. BMC had come under serious criticism from former union minister Maneka Gandhi as well as other animal welfare organisations in 2022 for its faulty dog sterilisation programme at the sub-divisional veterinary office in Saheed Nagar.