MCD identifies 36 dog feeding spots in West, Shahdara north zones

MCD standing committee chairperson Satya Sharma had earlier said the civic body aims to earmark around 1,000 feeding points initially, with three to four spots in each of the city’s 250 wards

Following the Supreme Court’s August 22 directive to designate fixed feeding points for community dogs, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has begun identifying and marking such spots across the city. Officials said on Saturday that 24 feeding spots have so far been identified in the west zone alone — the first zone to make substantial progress in the exercise.

Councillors said a few feeding spots have also been identified in parts of Keshav Puram, north Delhi and south Delhi. (HT Archive)

“Ten of the 24 spots are in one ward, Raghubir Nagar. We have given directions to install boards at the spots, and are in the process of identifying more locations in the west zone,” said an MCD official, adding that the zone comprises 25 wards.

Additionally, 14 feeding spots have been identified in the Shahdara north zone as well, said the official.

The civic body, the official said, is awaiting reports from other zones where sanitary inspectors and resident welfare associations (RWAs) have been asked to jointly identify feasible sites. “The number of feeding spots per ward will vary depending on the dog population and the size of the ward,” he added.

MCD standing committee chairperson Satya Sharma had earlier said the civic body aims to earmark around 1,000 feeding points initially, with three to four spots in each of the city’s 250 wards.

Councillors said a few feeding spots have also been identified in parts of Keshav Puram, north Delhi and south Delhi. “Wherever dog lovers and RWAs are coordinating, we are able to set up spots easily,” said Yogesh Verma, MCD councillor and member of the civic body’s sub-committee on stray dogs.

However, several RWA representatives said they were unaware of any such initiative being implemented in their areas. “The work may have been done on paper, but I have not heard anything about it. As far as I know, nothing has been done on the ground,” said Ashok Bhasin, president of the North Delhi RWA Federation.

The Supreme Court’s August order, which prohibits public feeding of dogs outside designated areas and warns of legal action against violators, has revived a long-pending civic effort.

A similar direction by the Delhi High Court in 2009 had led to the creation of about 100 official feeding spots, but most were later encroached upon, dismantled or destroyed amid opposition from some residents, according to animal welfare activists.

Dogs relocated after bite incident at JLN Stadium

Meanwhile, following a dog bite incident at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday, the MCD said it has caught and relocated several dogs from the premises. “We have had multiple dog-catching teams stationed at the stadium since October 26. Currently, four teams are deployed there. We have picked up 27 dogs over the past few days, including five on Saturday,” said the official, clarifying that the animals were not rabid.

“The dogs have been shifted to an ABC (animal birth control) shelter and will be released after the World Para Athletics Championships are over,” he added. “However, it is difficult to ensure that no dog remains in the area, as it is a large space with multiple entrances. People also continue to feed dogs nearby, which attracts more of them.”