Odisha Sanctions Rs 54 Lakhs To Feed Stray Animals

Bhubaneswar: Even as the lockdown has entered into its eighth day in Odisha and continues to keep people inside their homes, the stray animals seem to be hit hard with this. Rising to the occasion, the Odisha Government has sanctioned Rs 54 lakhs to feed them in various cities and towns across the state.

According to a letter sent by the housing and urban development department to commissioners of several municipal corporations and executive officers of municipalities in the state, thousands of stray animals in the state are having a hard time finding food as markets, eateries and hotels are closed due to the 21-day lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

“The state government has approved Rs 54 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to five municipal corporations and 48 municipalities for feeding the stray animals during the lockdown period, the letter stated.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has been granted Rs 20,000 per day for feeding the animals, while the urban local bodies of Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur will get Rs 10,000 daily for the purpose, the official said, adding that the municipalities will get Rs 5,000 each.