Kozhikode: Kudumbashree will train women in large numbers in each local administrative bodies soon in Animal Birth Control (ABC) as the implementing agency of the Rs 22-crore project to control the stray dog menace.
The target of this financial year is to catch one lakh strays. The move was in the wake of failure by other government agencies.
A high-level meeting held recently also decided to increase the cost for sterilising a dog to Rs 2,100 from Rs 1,000.
According to an order issued by the state government on May 5, Kudumbashree is free to form microentrepreneurship groups in each local administrative body which would be the recognised agency.
Kudumbashree district coordinator would be the implementing officer. More women would be trained by the existing group.
Though Kudumbashree had piloted the project in Ernakulam, it failed to attract many.
A census in 2012 had revealed that the state has 3.52 lakh stray dogs which would be almost doubled by now.
Though last year panchayats and municipalities had mobilised an amount of Rs 22 crore for implementing ABC, due to various impediments, only Rs 1 crore has been spent so far.
Though Kudumbashree had trained 386 women in 58 blocks and 14 urban zones, the move failed as there were no facilities and experts for sterilising dogs.
This time to tide over the crisis, it has been empowered to appoint retired veterinarians and PG students apart from the animal husbandry experts in the state service.
They will get an amount of Rs 400 as duty allowance for sterilising each dog. The dog catching women will be getting Rs 1000 plus an amount of Rs 200 as transportation expenses.
The local bodies should set up veterinary surgical units with post-surgical care facilities.
Chief operation officer of the project Dr Salim S. told DC that 51 local authorities had already set up sterilisation units and more than 150 are nearing completion.
“The project failed last time due to the dearth of animal husbandry experts which we have already sorted out by ensuring provision to rope in retired and independent experts,” he said.
