The “excessively stringent and impractical” provisions contained in the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, has adversely impacted the sterilisation drive of stray dogs in the State, Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh has said.
The Central norms has impeded efforts made to launch Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in the State. The rules prompted the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to revoke the permission given to Kudumbashree to sterilise stray dogs. Besides, they contained provisions such as the requirement for veterinarians with an experience of at least 2,000 surgeries to commence ABC centres.
Under such circumstances, the government has approached the Centre and the Supreme Court for relaxations in the rules, he said while responding to questions in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Mr. Rajesh said public protests have also torpedoed efforts made to establish ABC centres and dog shelters in the State. Such facilities had to be closed down in certain places due to such occurrences.
While there are 22 ABC centres, 16 more are being constructed. Another 14 centres have also been proposed to come up in various places. The government hoped to establish 76 ABC centres to ensure each benefited two blocks.
The Minister also dismissed claims that local bodies suffered from a dearth in funds for sterilising and vaccinating dogs. While ₹36.4 crore had been allocated for ABC centres in 2022-23, only ₹10.9 crore had been utilised. However, the current fiscal has seen local bodies earmarking ₹50.14 crore following instructions issued by the government in wake of the worsening stray dog menace in the State.
