Bhubaneswar: The lockdown in Odisha in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases has not only forced people indoors, but also put stray animals in distress.
The stray animals like dogs, cows and buffaloes, are struggling to find food for themselves after the closure of small eateries and market places.
Considering the plight of such strays, the Housing and Urban Development department has issued a letter to the Urban Local Bodies asking them to make necessary provision of food for the stray animals during the current lockdown period.
The commissioners of municipal corporations, executive officers of municipalities & NACs have been asked to provide food to stray dogs and animals in urban areas and prevent starvation.
The authorities have been asked to meet the expenditure out of the funds available with them from various sources, including own source revenue or subject to recoupment from SRC/CMRF sources.
While Rs 20,000 has been fixed as unit cost per day for BMC, it is Rs 10,000 for the four municipal corporations of Rourkela, Sambalpur, Cuttack and Berhampur.
Similarly, all the municipalities have been allowed to spend Rs 5,000 unit cost per day while NACs can spend Rs 2,000 unit cost per day for feeding the strays.
The ULBs can co-opt or partner with voluntary organisations for animal welfare.
ULBs can also proceed with welfare work with in-house resources or Mission Shakti Groups or Federations in case of non-availability of such voluntary organisations.
Fisheries and Animal Resources officials too can be involved in this cause, the letter stated.
Last year, the stray animals in Bhubaneswar were served biriyani and khichidi by the BMC.
