Puri: The city’s municipal body will sterilise at least 100 stray dogs ahead of the annual Car Festival.
The civic body has sanctioned Rs 74,250 to the Animal Resources department to carry out the sterilisation drive.
“The Animal Resources department has been asked to sterilise at least 100 stray dogs ahead of the Rath Yatra,” said municipal executive officer Srikant Tarei.
The move comes following reports of locals and tourists alike in the Holy City being attacked by the stray dogs in the past few years. A four-year-old boy was even mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs at Jagannath Colony in the city December 1, 2016. The incident had invited sharp reactions from locals and social activists.
Taking the issue seriously, the state government had sanctioned Rs 3.8 lakh to the city’s municipal body to sterilise stray dogs through an animal birth control programme. At least 100 stray dogs were sterilised under the programme, last year.
In another development, the district administration has convened a meeting of city-based non-government organisations (NGOs) June 6 to seek their cooperation for the smooth organisation of Rath Yatra.
Sources said the administration will allocate specific responsibilities to each NGO for proper management of human resources during the mega event.
