Soon after a City Spidey report on Noida's animal shelter, which wasn't particularly flattering, Authority officials give a clarification.
After City Spidey's report (September 26) on non-payment of staff salaries in the animal shelter of Sector 94, the Noida Authority has promptly come forward with a slew of clarifications. The report had also alluded to the pathetic condition of the animals lodged in the shelter.
On Thursday, authority officials declared that more than Rs 16 lakh is being spent every month on the shelter ever since they took over its reins in June this year. That includes Rs 5.5 lakh as expenses of running the shelter and about Rs 6.5 lakh towards staff salaries.
This declaration came in the wake of an inspection of the shelter by Alok Tandon, Chief Executive Officer of Noida Authority along with other officials.
Rajesh Singh, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Noida Authority also clarified that there is no deficiency of medicines or food for the animals of the shelter. “We have also paid salaries to all the staff members unlike what has been reported in the media,” he added.
As per Singh, a bank account for the shelter has been opened with a deposit of Rs 20 lakh. In a bid to control the population of stray dogs, Noida Authority has also appointed an agency to carry out the sterilisation procedure.
The contract between the authority and SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which had previously managed the shelter ended in June this year. Incidentally, an order issued by the UP Government in April was responsible for the ending of this contract. Now the shelter is under the direct control of the Noida Authority.