Local bodies directed to go after violent stray dogs

Thiruvananthapuram: Cabinet on Wednesday decided to intensify Animal Birth Control (ABC) activities across the state to deal with stray dog menace. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the local bodies had been directed to initiate steps to tackle the violent dogs. The local bodies are vested with powers to deal with the dogs that pose danger to the human lives,” he said stopping short of uttering the word culling. The chief minister said he considered human live above everything else. Free treatment would be provided to victims including women, children and elderly, he added.

The decentralised planning committee meeting chaired by Panchayat Minister M K Muneer on Wednesday decided to grant '250 for getting each dog sterilized at the authorised sterilisation units of the animal husbandry department.

Anyone bringing a stray for sterilization at any of these centres would be given Rs 250 and Rs 100 for pet dogs. However, as per Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules the dogs brought for sterilization should be released at the spot form where they caught.

Hurrah for first heart transplant
Thiruvananthapuram: Cabinet on Wednesday hailed the first heart transplant carried out in government medical sector in the state at the Kottayam medical college hospital. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy congratulated the entire team led by Dr P K Jayakumar for the stupendous achievement. He said the Government would take immediate steps for enhancing the facilities at the cardio thoracic department of Kottayam medical college.

SPV to implement Bharatnet
Thiruvananthapuram:A Special Purpose Vehicle will be set up for implementing the Bharatnet connectivity in the rural areas of state.

A committee headed by Additional Chief Secret-ary (Finance) and with IT department principal secretary as convenor and secretaries of various departments as members, would be constituted in connection with the steps required for implementation of Bharatnet project.

A consultancy agency will be picked through open tender for conducting comprehensive survey and preparing detail-ed prject report. Rs 1.5 crore will be set aside from IT Mission Fund for thi purpose.