MCD to set up 1,000 dog feeding spots across Delhi localities

The MCD will designate around 1,000 feeding spots for stray dogs across Delhi, following a Supreme Court order on sterilization and vaccination.

New Delhi

The Supreme Court has banned public feeding of dogs. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday issued orders to all zonal deputy commissioners to start identifying feeding spots for stray dogs across Delhi, with around 1,000 spots to be earmarked in the initial run, standing committee chairperson Satya Sharma, who also heads the dog sub-committee meetings, said

“In each ward, we will earmark three to four feeding spots. With 250 wards, we will have around 1,000 feeding spots but the number will vary depending on area. Councillors, RWAs and sanitation inspectors will be involved in it,” Sharma said.

Sharma said that these feeding spots will not be located in high footfall areas, such as intersections and markets. “Effort should be made to create these points away from residential entry points,” she added.

This comes after the Supreme Court modified its order regarding stray dogs and allowed the release of non-aggressive dogs after they are sterlilised and vaccinated, besides banning public feeding of dogs, except at designated spots. The court had asked the corporation to report its compliance with its orders within six weeks.

In a letter to the deputy commissioners, issued on Monday, she said: “As per the SC order, it would be suitable to identify 3-4 spots in each ward with the coordination of local area councillors. Necessary orders will be issued to the concerned staff and an action taken report will be submitted next week.”

Sharma said that MCD is also working to increase the capacity of sterilisation centres so that aggressive dogs can be housed. “Whatever complaints come, we can catch the dogs and keep them in shelter homes,” a senior MCD official said.

The official said that a shelter home would be set up at the Dwarka complex, where a kennel and animal crematorium exists. “There is large vacant land in the complex and the engineering department has been asked to prepare a layout for the shelter,” the official said.