THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the rising number of stray dog attacks in the state, a large majority of local bodies are yet to earmark adequate funds to tackle the problem, thus derailing the efforts of the local self-government (LSGD) and animal husbandry departments.
These departments were to launch aggressive sterilisation and vaccination drives to curb the stray dog menace. However, scarcity of funds has become a major challenge.
Recently, the Animal Husbandry Department entered into an agreement with Mission Rabies - a global NGO - to make Kerala a rabies-free state. The plan is to launch a mass vaccination drive for stray dogs from September 1. According to sources, preliminary works are already on.
“The vaccination of dog catchers and health workers is ongoing, and the NGO is holding classes for the people involved in the drive. We have directed the authorities to finish vaccinating health workers and dog catchers by July 31. Once the immunisation is complete, we will be able to start the dog vaccination by September 1,” said a senior official of the Animal Husbandry Department.
The LSGD had issued orders directing the local bodies to prepare projects for stray dog management in their jurisdiction.
“More than half of the grama panchayats have not earmarked adequate funds for the stray dog management projects. This is going to adversely affect our efforts. They need to pay dog catchers; a minimum of Rs 5,000 will be required to catch ten dogs.
The local bodies should give this project key priority and should take efforts to earmark sufficient funds for vaccination and sterilisation drives,” said the official.
“Some of the low-income generating panchayats are unable to earmark funds for this project. Many panchayats didn’t include stray dog-related projects because of court interventions. The ABC programme was stalled by the High Court and the plea to kill dangerous and aggressive dogs is also pending in the court. Because of all these constraints some of the minus-income panchayat are unable to earmark funds. If the LSGD comes out with orders giving liberty for project revision, the local bodies will be able to manage. The association has also joined the plea in the court to kill dangerous dogs,” said Viju Mohan, Thiruvananthapuram district secretary, of Kerala Grama Panchayat Association.
To improve the situation and ensure more assistance for the struggling local bodies, the LSGD Minister M B Rajesh has convened a meeting with 33 animal welfare organisations affiliated with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) on July 26.
“This is the first time such a meeting is happening, and the plan is to get their feedback and also to ensure their involvement in the stray dog management projects being taken up by the local bodies,” the official added. In view of the alarming rise in stray dog attacks, a high-level meeting chaired by LSGD Minister M B Rajesh and Minister for Animal Husbandry J Chinchurani recently decided to invoke Section 133 (f) of CrPC which empowers district magistrates to issue orders to “destroy, confine or dispose of dangerous animal”. However, despite all the efforts, there is no respite in the stray dog attack incidents being reported in the state.