more-in The newly launched Animal Birth Control (ABC) mobile surgery unit has provided a fillip to the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Kudumbasree Mission in controlling stray dog menace. The ‘Winners ABC Mobile Unit,’ an entrepreneurial initiative under the Kudumbasree district mission, has begun to prove its worth, within 10 days of its formal inception. The unit, which was launched by Minister for Local Self-Governments K.T. Jaleel on May 9, caught six stray dogs from near the Secretariat premises a day ago. After conducting the sterilisation surgery, the unit took the dogs to the Government Veterinary Hospital in Attingal, where they will undergo post-operative rehabilitation before being released to the spots from where they were picked up. It was only a few days ago that the unit had undertaken sterilisation of 22 dogs that were caught from the Azhoor grama panchayat. It is for the first time that a mobile surgery unit has been launched for the purpose by the Kudumbasree mission. Buoyed by its success, the mission will launch more units to intensify its ABC programme. The Winners ABC mobile unit comprised of five people, T.G. Rajani and M. Jeevashree of the Kudumbasree unit in the Mudakkal grama panchayat, and M.G. Satheesh Kumar, K.G. Jithesh and M.S. Mukesh. For its launch, the unit had received ?3.50 lakh from the Kudumbasree innovation fund, ?3 lakh from the district panchayat and ?50,000 as start-up fund. Besides, an amount of ?10 lakh had been taken as bank loan for purchasing the vehicle and establishing the air-conditioned operation theatre, which also has an operation table, surgical instruments, autoclave, fridge and water tank. The unit will ensure the service of veterinary doctors empanelled by the Kudumbasree Mission. While as 12 veterinary hospitals in the district were equipped with the amenities required for executing animal birth control activities, the mobile unit is aimed at boosting the ongoing efforts. The unit will derive its revenue by being hired by other ABC units. The Kudumbasree mission had launched the ABC programme in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kottayam districts a year ago, and has managed to sterilise 13,320 stray dogs so far. Efforts were on to extend the programme to Idukki, Alappuzha, Palakkad and Wayanad districts, according to official sources.

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