Agartala: The Tripura government on Tuesday rolled out a comprehensive plan to manage and rehabilitate stray dogs and other animals found on roads, in line with directives issued by the Supreme Court.
Announcing the initiative at a press conference, Animal Resource Development (ARD) Department Secretary Deepa D. Nair said the programme would be implemented under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which place responsibility on civic bodies to catch stray animals and ensure their proper rehabilitation through recognised Animal Birth Control centres and shelter homes.
She said that stray dogs picked up from the streets would be sterilised and vaccinated before being shifted to shelter homes for care and long-term rehabilitation.
At present, two registered NGOs are engaged in rehabilitating stray dogs in the state.
Until dedicated ABC centres are established, the state veterinary hospital and district veterinary hospitals will function as temporary rehabilitation facilities for stray animals, Nair said.
To strengthen coordination, the Agartala Municipal Corporation and other urban local bodies will form joint task forces for effective management of stray animals on roads.
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At the district level, similar task forces will be constituted involving the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, the Transport Department, the ARD Department and local bodies.
“These task forces will conduct surveys to identify stray animal-prone areas and will be responsible for catching stray animals and sending them to gaushalas for proper upkeep,” Nair said.
ARD Department Director Neeraj Kumar Chanchal said Tripura currently has three registered gaushalas managed by NGOs, including the Dhyan Foundation, which together shelter more than 2,000 cows.
He said most of the cattle housed in these shelters were rescued by security forces while being smuggled to Bangladesh.
The NGOs are self-financed, with the state government providing financial assistance whenever required.
As Report
Mentioned in the Hindustan Times
