Sources say PETA is insisting that AMC’s staff should catch the dogs for them.
The AMC has maintained its tradition of goof-ups -- at least as far as the stray dogs' sterilisation and vaccination programme goes. This time around, the municipal body has decided to consider giving contracts to NGOs that do not have necessary certification from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). This certification is mandatory to carry out stray dogs' sterilisation and vaccination as per AWBI's animal birth control (ABC) programme.
Bringing the issue to the fore, the AWBI issued a notice to the AMC reminding them to annul the contracts signed with two NGOs -- Asha Foundation and Animal Protection Club. The AWBI notice says that these two NGOs are not approved by the AWBI to carry out dog sterilisation and vaccination. In fact, the two do not even have any vets working with them.
This new development brings the AMC back to square one since of the four agencies that had responded to AMC's tender for the work, two have been rejected by AWBI. If AMC sources are to be believed, one of the two remaining agencies, PETA, is throwing tantrums and demanding infrastructure from the AMC to start the work. Also, among other demands, PETA is insisting that AMC's staff should catch the dogs for them.
With this, AMC is left with only one NGO —Animal Help Foundation — to give the contract to. But here too the municipal body finds itself in a spot, since in the past, AMC had not found the NGO's work satisfactory and had cancelled its contract with them.
Deputy municipal commissioner, in-charge for the sterilisation programme, Dilip Mahajan, said that they have not given any contract to any agency. "We have asked Asha Foundation and Animal Protection Club to get AWBI certificate. The issue will be presented before the standing committee and general board before final contracts are awarded," he said.
In June the monsoons, which are the indicators of the canine mating season, will be something to look out for, as it seems that now there is nothing that can stop the 'stray' menace from proliferating on the city's streets.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}