VIJAYAWADA:With the increasing cases of stray dogs attacking the public, the municipal administration and urban development department has decided to expedite the sterilisation programme across the State. Municipal minister P Narayana said that steps are being taken to complete the initiative by April.
In a meeting with the commissioners of municipalities from 13 districts on Thursday, Narayana said that the department has identified 3.43 lakh stray canines in the 110 urban local bodies (ULBs). “The only solution to the stray dog menace is sterilisation as the court directed against harming the canines. We have completed 75 percent of sterilisation, the remaining will be done by April. The average life expectancy of dogs is nine years. So the sterilisation will help in controlling the population in the next few years,” he said.
Admitting that the initiative is progressing at snail’s pace due to the unavailability of necessary infrastructure, he said the government is addressing the issue. “Once all the canines are sterilised in the ULBs, the equipment will be used in rural areas to carry out the initiative there,” he explained. The minister also said that ‘pig hostels’ will be established in the State to address the pig menace.
The minister also said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has given an in-principle approval to develop the drainage system across the municipalities. “The officials have prepared the estimates and it would cost Rs 11,000 crore,” he said.
Further, speaking on the waste-to-energy projects in the State, he said, “The Swachha Andhra Corporation is working for the establishment of 10 waste-to-energy plants at the earliest. Since the machinery has to be imported, the plants will be ready in a year’s time. The garbage from all the 110 ULBs will be processed to produce power.” Elaborating on the plans to provide a facelift to the graveyards of people of all faiths, in all the municipalities, he said that Rs 40 crore had been allocated.
“Similarly, all the toilets in the municipal and corporations schools will be given a makeover in a time bound manner. The schools will also be given 70,000 benches with the help of Corporate Social Responsibility initiative,” he said. “The municipal schools will have better facilities than reputable private schools in the next three years”.
Minister pulls up Centre...
Minister Narayana came down heavily on the BJP-led NDA party for announcing J20,000 crore worth defence manufacturing industrial corridor. He said that the Centre should accord special category status to AP as it is continuing it in other states. “We were told the special category would end and hence we accepted the special package. But since the Centre is continuing it, AP should also get it,” he demanded.
... Says it’s people’s right
He further said that it is the right of the people of the state to get all the provisions made under the AP Reorganisation Act (APRA), 2014. “Was there any Act which mandated that J17,000 cr and J1 lakh crore be given to Bengaluru metro rail project and the Mumbai sub-urban project respectively? No. Yet, the Centre gave funds other states and ignored AP. All the provisions of the APRA, 2014, and assurances during bifurcation are the rights of the five crore people of AP,” he said.
Minutes of Minister’s meeting with civic heads
Sterilisation of stray dogs to be completed by April 2018 to put an end to increasing cases of dog attacking Man
Government has identified 3.43 lakh stray canines in the 110 urban local bodies
Sterilisation initiative, at present, going on at snail’s pace, minister admits
As there is unavailability of infrastructure, dogs in the ULBs will be sterilised first and then will be the dogs in rural areas
‘Pig hostels’ to be established in the State to address the pig menace
CM has given an in-principle approval to develop the drainage system across the municipalities Project estimated at Rs 11,000 crore
Efforts are on to establish 10 waste-to-energy plants
All graveyards to get a facelift. Project cost Rs 40 crore
All municipal and corporation schools to have better facilities than private schools