BMC to Continue Feeding Stray Animals during Lockdown

Bhubaneswar: With the extension of the lockdown period till May 31 midnight, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will continue its noble work of feeding the stray animals including street dogs and bulls. In the first phase of the lockdown it had started on May 7.

Under the feeding process while 7.5 quintals of cooked food are prepared daily at the Saheed Nagar Veterinary Clinic campus for distribution in the morning and afternoon hours, 3 quintals of cattle feed are distributed among the stray bulls and cows across the city.

Of the canine food prepared under the supervision of the veterinary experts at their Saheed Nagar facility, 5 quintals are distributed around 8 to 10 am in the morning and the other between 4 and 6 pm in the afternoon hours. The cooked food for dogs has ingredients like rice, dal and chicken pieces.

In order to make the food distribution process participatory and people-centric, organisations engaged in the field of animal welfare are also roped in to take the responsibility. As the food distribution for animals is zone-based for effectiveness, People for Animal is working in South East Zone, Alap in North Zone and Rehabitat Foundation in South West Zone respectively.

While the food quality for stray animals is checked by the experts at Sub-Divisional Veterinary Office of the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department, BMC provides logistics for the transportation of the cooked food and cattle feed to the various zones concerned.

It is learnt that while the stray animals in the residential zones are anyhow fed by the people nearby during lockdown, those roaming around markets and other public places are now facing a difficult time due to the COVID pandemic. In order to provide these animals food, BMC’s efforts to feed them till the end of the lockdown is being welcomed by many citizens.

Natabara Panda, a senior citizen from Jaydev Vihar area said “the civic authorities are doing a good job by providing food to stray animals during lockdown. As responsible citizens we should also keep water vessels near our homes for stray animals during the summer months.’’

Environmentalist Bijay Mishra of Nayapalli Nuasahi added “ on our own we should have water vessels on rooftops for birds. However, as a long-term plan the city should have small birds’ houses (Chidiya Ghar) at major squares and public spaces to facilitate food and water for the winged guests of our immediate neighborhoods.’’

The continuation of the process to feed the stray animals since May 7 gained momentum following a letter and release of funds from the Housing and Urban Development Department on May 20 for 114 urban local bodies including the municipal corporations across the State.