E-Paper
Canine terror: Mohali society maids go on indefinite strike
Over 30 persons, including pregnant women, have fallen prey to dog bites here in the last three months. On Tuesday too, one of the domestic helps was attacked by a stray dog but was rescued by residents
High drama was witnessed at Pancham Society in Sector 68, Mohali, on Tuesday as over 50 maids who work there went on an indefinite strike to protest against dog-bite cases inside the society.
Over 30 persons, including pregnant women, have fallen prey to dog bites here in the last three months. On Tuesday too, one of the domestic helps was attacked by a stray dog but was rescued by residents.
Following this, the maids got together and refused to work till a solution is found to the problem. They also raised slogans against residents’ welfare association and those feeding dogs in the locality.
A heated argument broke out between the dog lovers and the protesting maids, and police had to intervene to pacify the two sides.
Anjali, a maid, said, “I have been working here for the past 16 years but now I fear to even walk inside the society. I was bitten by dogs here thrice, once when I was pregnant. We won’t resume work till the dogs are removed from the society.”
Bimla Devi, another protester, said that maids who work in the society to earn a living are forced to spend money on vaccination against rabies.
The protesters also managed to get support of some residents of the society.
Surender Sandhu, a resident of the society, said, “We can’t take a stroll inside our society without a stick. We don’t allow our children to go downstairs alone and thus they can’t play there. Whenever we resist, people who feed dogs call NGOs and create ruckus here. They should be held accountable for dog bites cases here.”
Neera Sharma, an RWA member, said that MC officials should immediately come to their rescue or police should curtail the dog feeders.
Municipal councillor Vineet Malik, who also reached the spot to handle the situation, said, “We informed the authorities concerned in the MC and sought immediate medical treatment of violent dogs but to no avail.”
6,310 dog-bite cases in Mohali this year
The district’s stray dog menace has been increasing by leaps and bounds. It has already recorded 6,310 dog-bite cases this year, as compared to 8,032 cases throughout 2021. In 2020, there were 5,004 cases while in 2019, the district logged 8,313 dog-bite incidents.
When asked about the worsening situation, MC commissioner Navjot Kaur said the tender allotment process for dog sterilisation is in the final stage thus the drive would commence soon.
“We have already fixed a meeting with officials of the animal husbandry department and requested them to help us in treating dogs that are habitual of biting people,” said Kaur.
Another senior MC officer, on condition of anonymity, said the municipal authorities are responsible for looking after stray dogs and can’t do anything if the dogs are fed inside the societies. “The RWA of Punchum society should firmly take up the matter with those who feed these dogs or else they should lodge a complaint with the police, holding them accountable for the menace. The RWA may also contact the animal husbandry department for the treatment of these dogs,” the official added.
Pertinently, the Punjab and Haryana high court had in April sought a report on the status of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Mohali district.
The order was passed by the high court bench of justice Raj Mohan Singh, following a plea by Mowgli Aid Animal Welfare Society, an NGO.
In the plea, the NGO had alleged failure of the state authorities in establishing SPCA in Mohali, and providing adequate land and other facilities to the society for constructing infirmaries and animal shelters as per the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Rules, 2001.
