MCG scouts Sector 105, Baliawas for two new stray dog shelters

Sector 105 and Baliawas locations linked to Maa Baglamukhi Sewa Samiti are under review, with existing shelters at Basai and Begumpur Khatola.

Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) officials visited potential sites in Sector 105 and Baliawas for setting up two additional stray dog shelters in the district earlier this week, civic officials said.

(Representative image) Civic officials say no site is finalised yet, while stalled sterilisation drives may restart after agencies return from January end. (HT Archive)

The nodal officer at MCG, Hariom, said: “Nothing has been finalised yet. We are only assessing potential sites, given the large stray dog population in Gurugram. Although no formal census has been conducted, we estimate that the city has nearly 50,000 stray dogs.”

“These two locations belong to the Maa Baglamukhi Sewa Samiti, which is one of the agencies in charge of vaccination and sterilisation of stray dogs in the district along with Vedanta Pvt Ltd,” added the nodal officer.

The district currently has one shelter each in Begumpur Khatola and Basai.

Meanwhile, officials said the vaccination and sterilisation of stray dogs, which has been in limbo for a few months, is likely to resume from next week.

Dr Ashish Singla, chief medical officer at MCG, said: “Vedanta is expected to take charge from next week, and has begun shifting and installing machinery at the Begumpur Khatola shelter home. Maa Baglamukhi too islikely to begin operations from January 28. While the Begumpur Khatola shelter home has been revamped and is ready for use, the Basai facility still requires redevelopment and additional work.”

The vaccination and sterilisation programme in the city has been stalled since July last year after the two agencies withdrew their services. Between January 1 and July 31, officials said, the MCG had sterilised 3,585 stray dogs and vaccinated 4,524.

MCG has also been directed by the the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to submit a monthly stray dog report to the board, which will then be forwarded to the Centre.

Officials said the report will include all the details of actions taken by the corporation, including vaccination and sterilisation of stray dogs and complaints received from the residents.