28-04-2025
Tiruppur farmers look for early disbursal of ₹ 15 lakh sanctioned as compensation for livestock killed by dogs
The Animal Husbandry Department has been sanctioned ₹15 lakh for disbursal as compensation for livestock farmers in Tiruppur district who have lost their sheep/ goat due to attack by wandering dogs.
The State government had announced in the recent Assembly session that a farmer would be entitled to compensation of ₹6,000 for the death of a goat or sheep.
The announcement was made by Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department Pugazhendi during the monthly agriculture grievances redress meeting while responding to queries raised by farmers on the procedure to secure the relief.
The affected farmer was required to approach the Village Administrative Officer concerned, Mr. Pugazhendi said.
The relief would be distributed shortly to the affected farmers by Minister for Information and Publicity M.A. Saminathan, the farmers were told.
According to P. Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakoil Branch Water Conservation Association, the relief ought to be disbursed without delay. The farmers were already disappointed over the government's reluctance to compensate them based on market value of the livestock killed by the wandering dogs, Mr. Velusamy pointed out.
The farmers were also at a loss to understand how the compensation amount of ₹15 lakh was arrived at. 'Over the last year, at least 1,000 sheep/goat have been killed by the dogs,' Mr. Velusamy said.
As for the measures taken for controlling the population of street dogs, Mr. Pugazhendi said indiscriminate breeding could be carried out only through Animal Birth Control Programme.
Referring to the Animal Birth Control Rules (2023) formulated by the Union Government, the official said the onus was on Corporations, Municipalities and local bodies to control the street dog population. Under this programme, the dogs were required to be caught in a humane manner, sterilised, vaccinated against rabies and released in the same place from where they were caught.
The local bodies were required to undertake the task after receiving Project Recognition Certificate from Animal Welfare Board of India. There cannot be any fixed time line for controlling the population of the street dogs, Mr. Pugazhendi said.
