Lockdown halts Mohali MC’s animal birth control programme

Not a single dog has been sterilised since March 2, leading to an increase in the population of canines.

Indifference of the municipal corporation of Mohali has blown the stray dog menace in the city out of proportions. In the wake of the lockdown, not a single dog was sterilised between March 21 and now, leading to an increase in the population of canines.

On a rough estimate, the number of stray dogs increased by 1,000 in the past year. In June last year, the number was around 9,000, which is now around 10,000. (HT FILE)

On a rough estimate, the number of stray dogs increased by 1,000 in the past year. In June last year, the number was around 9,000, which is now around 10,000.

On the other hand, Mohali has witnessed 2,010 dog bite cases in the past five months. The maximum number of cases, 350, were reported in May this year. The worst affected areas include Sectors 76 to 80, Phases 9, 10, 4, 3B1, 3B2 and 5. In 2017, the dog bite cases were 1,970, in 2018 the figure was 2,340 and last year, the figure was 3,532.

Sham Lal, MC sanitary inspector, said sterilisation was stopped due to the lockdown and will be restarted within a week.

In October last year, the then chairman of the animal birth control (ABC) committee, Kuljeet Singh Bedi, in a report had stated that the sterilisation process was only on papers. It has been observed that in the last two years, the previous company had not been operating upon the stray dogs, but performing dummy operations, the report said.

CL Garg, president of the Confederation of Greater Mohali Resident Welfare Association, an apex body of 65 RWAs, said, “It has been more than three weeks since the lockdown was opened, but the MC has not resumed the sterilisation programme. Some dogs are quiet, while others can be ferocious or infected. Even when MC officials do come, they merely perform a formality.”

Nodal officer Dr Harmandeep Kaur Brar at civil hospital, Phase 6, said, “Dog bite patients have to undergo physical torture. Sometimes it can cause Rabies which can be a horror for the patient’s as they become hydrophobic to an extent that even injecting Glucose drip on them is difficult.”