Kozhikode yet to start birth control programme despite dog bite complaints

Kozhikode: The Kozhikode municipal corporation is yet to start the animal birth control (ABC) programme when hundreds of persons get dog bites in the district every month. The civic body is sitting on the promise of expertise from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Scences University (KVASU) whereas the Wayanad district panchayat is much ahead with the project. The integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) data shows more than 1500 persons received dog bites in the district in three months (January, February, March).

Though a team of experts from KVASU had sterilised 159 dogs as part of the ABC project in March 2015, there was no follow-up due to lack of facilities and manpower. The Wayanad district panchayat so far sterilised as many as 250 stray dogs. Mayor Thottathil Raveendran told DC that the corporation would resume the ABC project as soon as possible. “The construction of the building and other facilities is on at Poolakkadavu. The Rs 50 lakh project includes the surgery unit for sterilisation, post-surgical care and rehabilitation,” he said.

“The ABC project station would be ready within two months.” In Wayanad, the district panchayat has mobilised '40 lakh with the support of village panchayats. To set up the ABC facility each panchayat contributed between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, and the district panchayat chipped in '10 lakh last year. Wayanad district panchayat president T, Ushakumari told DC that at present the project is on at a temporary facility at Sulthan Bathery with the cooperation of department of veterinary and animal husbandry. “A state-of-the-art facility would come up at Kalpetta soon”, she said, adding that this year also the civic bodies have earmarked sufficient funds for ABC.