The two clinics under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) offering free treatment for dog bites have been lying shut for months. This has forced people from the economically weaker sections to visit hospitals elsewhere.

Following trifurcation, the corporation is yet to restart operation at the two clinics in Fatehpur Beri and Mehrauli, which usually stock about 6,000 doses of injections for people suffering from dog bites. Since April, patients who come to these clinics for free treatment are being asked to go to hospitals under the north corporation. These patients are usually too poor to avail of treatment from private clinics.

As the clinics are not functional, the south corporation has failed to collect any data on dog bites this year, that have taken place in areas under its jurisdiction. "Since the two clinics are not operating, there is no data on dog bites," said Subhash Arya, leader of the house, South Corporation.

According to councillors of the corporation, dog sterilisation has been hit because of the trifurcation. At a recent standing committee meeting of the corporation, a councillor said that there was an increase in the number of stray dogs in the city, leading to increased incidents of dog bites.