Guntur Municipal Corporation Animal Birth Control programme faces irregularity allegations over ₹70 lakh

Guntur: The Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme has come under renewed scrutiny following allegations of financial and procedural irregularities in its implementation by Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC).

RTI documents allegedly reveal that nearly ₹70 lakh of public funds was spent despite the implementing agency, Sneh Animal Welfare Society, reportedly operating without a mandatory Project Recognition Certificate (PRC). The allegations assume significance amid recent nationwide concerns over the misuse of ABC funds, with the Supreme Court cautioning against bogus NGOs siphoning public money and authorities tightening oversight of the programme across the country.According to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, GMC allegedly permitted Sneh Animal Welfare Society to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme during 2024-2025 without possessing a valid Project Recognition Certificate (PRC) from the Central govt. Under the Animal Birth Control Rules, a PRC issued by the competent authority is mandatory before any agency can undertake sterilisation and related activities.

The RTI records reportedly indicate that public funds were released despite the absence of mandatory certification.The documents also allege that the implementing agency engaged untrained and inadequately qualified veterinary personnel and support staff to perform sterilisation procedures. Animal welfare activists claim these shortcomings resulted in the deaths of several animals during the programme, raising concerns about both compliance with statutory norms and animal welfare standards.The controversy deepened after a Central govt inspection reportedly identified multiple deficiencies at the ABC centre, including the absence of the mandatory organ-counting procedure, an essential safeguard under the programme’s operating guidelines. Following the inspection, the agency’s PRC was cancelled in Dec 2024. A subsequent inspection conducted by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in Jan 2025 reportedly found that many of the earlier deficiencies remained unaddressed.Despite these findings, records indicate that the then GMC commissioner wrote to the AWBI in Aug 2025 seeking restoration of the PRC, citing public health concerns and reportedly attributing responsibility for certain deficiencies to the then veterinary assistant surgeon, Dr M Venkateswarulu. Animal welfare activist Tejovanth Anupoju alleged that GMC had also failed to constitute the mandatory organ-counting committee despite repeated recommendations from the AWBI and inspection teams.

The issue has gained further significance in light of similar developments elsewhere. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation terminated its agreement with the same organisation in April 2026 over alleged violations of ABC guidelines.Tejovanth argue that the developments expose serious gaps in GMC’s monitoring, regulatory oversight and implementation of the ABC programme. They contend that unless an independent inquiry fixes accountability and statutory procedures are strictly enforced, public funds could continue to be spent without achieving the programme’s twin objectives of humane stray animal management and effective population control.

When contacted, GMC Commissioner K Mayur Ashok rejected the charges. He said that they have given the work to the agency which was empanelled by the state govt. “The state govt has empanneled three agencies to three regions based on their credentials. We don’t have any option to except to depend on it,” said commissioner. He, however, said that ABC programme is being scientically done after he assumed charge in GMC. He said that they have set up two ABC Centres and also constituted organ counting committee to screen the procedures. “We have decided to go in a scientific manner by covering all dogs division after a division on a saturation basis. Our last census (2024) shows that there could be around 24000 dogs," said Ashok. He said that they were handling at least 80-100 surgeries per day and expected to cover all within 18 months.