With less than a month left for the Animal Husbandry Department to operationalise 245 mobile veterinary units, which have been a non-starter since 2023, tender has been floated to finalise service providers.
The State government, in March 2023, announced the introduction of 245 mobile veterinary clinics under a public-private partnership model for providing treatment to ailing domestic animals and poultry birds. Dedicated toll free numbers were also to be put out to access the units, each of which was planned to cater to every 1 lakh livestock population.
However, the units continue to languish at a yard in Chennai without being put to use. When the issue was taken up in a public interest litigation petition by an animal welfare activist, the State government in December 2023 submitted before the Madras High Court that the 245 mobile veterinary clinics would be made operational within three months.
“The current state of affairs is highly deplorable, taking into account the fact that the State of Tamil Nadu is actually the home to the highest number of animal cruelty cases, and therefore, the presence of an immediate and timely assistance such as the MVC’s is highly indispensable for the State,” the petition stated.
Amirtha Jothi, Director, Animal Husbandry Department, said tender has been floated to find a vendor. As per the Tamil Nadu Livestock Development Agency, the last date for submission of tender for the selection of service provider for operation and maintenance of call centre and mobile units at every district is March 11. “Everything is ready. Once the vendor is finalised it [the units] will be launched,” she said.
