Mumbai: The BMC on Wednesday conducted sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs and cats in Mumbai and is scheduled to pay a hefty amount for the next three years.
As compared to the last contract, the BMC is now paying almost double the amount. The corporation will spend over Rs6.40 crore for 2023-25. Under the animal sterilisation programme, the dog control cell has been conducting sterilisation of strays since 1994.
This programme was initiated after a high court order in 1998. It had a provision for dog sterilisation to control the population in Mumbai but cases of cat bites were also getting reported. Hence, the BMC started a similar programme for cat sterilisation.
In 2019, the BMC gave a three-year contract for cat sterilisation for Rs3 crore. Now, another proposal has been put up for the next three years, which has received the civic administrator’s permission. The civic body has selected four animal organisations and will start work soon. The general manager of Deonar abattoir and in-charge of the sterilisation programme, Karimpasha Pathan, said they have kept a target of 10,000-11,000 sterilisations per year. The civic body will pay Rs1,600 to Rs2,000 for male cats and Rs1,800 to Rs 2,200 per female cat depending on who is bearing the cost of water and electricity.
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