Maneka wants NGO to run animal birth control plan

Union Minister for Women and Child Development and noted animal rights activist, Maneka Gandhi, has urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to hand over the Animal Birth Control (ABC) unit to a private organisation.

After observing the negligent attitude of doctors towards dogs which even resulted in many deaths after surgeries, Maneka has personally written e-mails to the BBMP Commissioner, N Manjunath Prasad, to hand over the unit to Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), a non-governmental organisation that works towards the welfare of animals across the country.

Maneka’s letter, a copy of which is available with DH, reads: “Hundreds of dogs are dying after botched-up operations. All of them have died as gangrene had set in. You (BBMP) are spending lakhs, but with no result. Once a dog dies, that money is wasted and unsterilized dogs lead to increase in dogbites in the local neighbourhood. This is a public safety matter and should be taken seriously.”

‘Doctors let dogs die’

She further stated that many dogs died due to the negligence of doctors during surgery, sub-standard usage of materials, ill-handling of dogs, not giving antibiotics and so on.

Additional commissioner, Randeep D, BBMP, responded thus: “It is not possible at BBMP’s level, as direct entrustment is not allowed in Karnataka Transparency Act, except where state government permits. However, this request should be addressed to either Urban Development Department or Animal Husbandry Department, Karnataka. However, CUPA may take part in bidding for zone-wise ABC programme.”

The BBMP commissioner, too, reiterated that this can be a violation of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act.

CUPA had been monitoring the ABC unit for 20 years but lost the bid last year with a marginal difference.

Maneka further questioned how the BBMP has included two blacklisted organisations, Sarvodaya Sevabhava Samsthe and Animal Rights Fund (ARF) to be a part of ABC monitoring committee.

Dr G Anand, joint director, animal husbandry, BBMP, was not available for comment.

Poor sterilisation leads to an increase in stray dog population. Many children have fallen victim to such attacks. In September, Praveen, 11, died after being mauled by 10 stray dogs near Vibhutipura Lake.