Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) decided to release a new cat sterilization offer after last year’s plan failed to start due to the Covid-19 situation. According to the PMC, only one agency had shown interest in the previous tender and did not have the mandatory Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) certificate for the sterilization of cats.
The city council estimates that the cat sterilization plan will cost about that much £1.50 crore.
PMC had published the tender in September 2019 in accordance with the instructions of the state government to all local authorities to contain the cat population with the help of sterilization. The deadline for submitting the bid has been extended due to the poor response. The agency later received a response from an agency, the Getmoksha Environmental Foundation, which was AWBI certified for sterilizing cats. PMC gave the agency six months in accordance with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tendering terms to obtain certification from the animal welfare agency. However, the process has been halted due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Dr. Prakash Wagh, Resident (Veterinarian) of the PMC Health Department said, “Last year we received a response from a government agency. It was the first time that we had put out a tender for the sterilization of cats. ”
Officials said that cats are sterilized in a similar way to dogs, but using cages instead of pounds. “Permission will be obtained from cat owners or caretakers before sterilization is performed, as cats are mainly seen in housing associations, houses and bungalows,” said an official.
The Maharashtra Government Ordinance of May 9, 2019 states: “In general, a cat gives birth to four to five kittens every three months, which increases its population immensely. There are many cases of kittens dying on streets, gutters, and drainpipes. Therefore, it is imperative that cats are spayed to contain their population and thus end cruelty. ”
PMC issues point to dog sterilization agency
The Pune City Council has issued an exhibition notice to the Universal Animal Welfare Society of Beed to terminate their contract with PMC. The citizen administration took the move after BMC prevented the agency from operating under their jurisdiction. The decision was made on allegations and complaints from an animal activist about the mistreatment and death of animals.
The Universal Animal Welfare Society of Beed, the Blue Cross Society of India, the Animal Welfare Association of Navi Mumbai, and the Society for Provision of Cruelty of Latur Animals have been commissioned to carry out the sterilization within the PMC boundaries.
Dr. Wagh said, “We issued an exhibition notice to the Universal Animal Welfare Society of Beed, but the agency has already ceased its sterilization work at PMC.”
