Ludhiana: Admn to get stray dogs sterilised in Hasanpur

Pvt firm working for MC will carry out the task; municipal committees to issue tenders for similar project in rural areas this week

Two days after a pack of stray dogs mauled the second boy to death in Hasanpur village of Mullanpur Dakha, the authorities concerned woke up from their slumber and announced a stray dog sterilisation drive in the village on an emergency basis. The Ludhiana administration has tied up with a private firm associated with the Municipal Corporation for the task.

A pack of stray dogs had on January 11 mauled an 11-year-old boy to death in the Hasanpur village, six days after a 10-year-old boy lost his life in a similar incident on January 5. (HTFile)

The administration will compensate the company, which is already operating in the Ludhiana MC area as per existing terms and conditions. The action is being taken according to the standard operating procedure pertaining to animal birth control.

The municipal committees under the administration will also issue tenders for sterilisation of stray dogs in the rural areas of the district this week. During a meeting with officials from various departments on Tuesday, deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal emphasised that the sterilisation project aims to control the canine population and reduce the dog bite incidents. The private firm that is associated with the MC will start sterilisation of stray dogs in Hasanpur village on an immediate basis. He added that the block development panchayat officer (BDPO) along with animal husbandry deputy director would be nodal officers of the project who would ensure its effective implementation.

Meanwhile, the other municipal committees would float tenders this week and the work would be awarded to a suitable firm that can efficiently carry out sterilisation work in accordance with the guidelines set by the Animal Welfare Board of India. The selected firm will be required to maintain thorough records of each sterilised dog to ensure transparency in its operations. The said firms would also provide services in rural areas on a payment basis.

Jorwal also said that a committee would be established in each municipal committee to oversee the work being carried out by the chosen firm.

Additional deputy commissioners Amarjit Bains, Rohit Gupta, chief minister field officer Kritika Goyal, SDMs Jasleen Kaur, Poonampreet Kaur and others were also present at the meeting.

A panchayat member from Hasanpur village said a team of dog catchers visited the village on Tuesday but left empty-handed following an argument with some of the villagers.

A pack of stray dogs had on January 11 mauled an 11-year-old boy, Harsukhpreet Singh, to death in the village six days after a 10-year-old boy, Arjun Kumar, lost his life in a similar incident on January 5.

The Punjab state human rights commission (PSHRC) has already taken a suo motu cognisance of the incident and chairperson Justice Sant Parkash called for a report from the Ludhiana municipal corporation commissioner and the deputy commissioner. The report is to be submitted a week before the next hearing on March 4.