Dog owners ignore pet corners; NMMC to get tough with dogs littering

18 facilities set up by civic body but lack of awareness, plans to levy fine, licence restrictions and awareness

NAVI MUMBAI

Navi Mumbai, India - Feb. 6, 2024:Pet corners not being used by residents at Vashi in Navi Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

Pet owners not utilizing the several pet corners developed by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in the city and instead allowing their pets to litter in the open, will now face action. The civic body has decided to intensify levying of fines and also tighten the issue of licenses to the violators. Pet owners say there is a lack of awareness of the facility.

It was in December 2021 that the NMMC, as part of Swachh Survekshan programme, launched what it declared was the first-of-its-kind Pet Corner in the country. Renowned music composer Shankar Mahadevan inaugurated it at sector 29 Vashi. The NMMC has since developed 18 such pet corners in the city. However, the response from the pet owners has been poor.

Every pet corner has sand where the pets can litter. It also has a scooper, garbage bags and bin. The area is spruced up with wall paintings of dogs and pet lovers. Scientific disposal is followed by NMMC. Owners can pick up the waste and put it in the bag which is then dumped in the bins provided from where it is taken away by civic sanitation workers.

Said retired assistant commissioner of police Surendra Mandhane, a resident of Nerul, “NMMC has developed such a fantastic walking and cycle track along the Palm Beach service road which sees hundreds of people coming there for their daily morning and evening walks. The dog owners too come with their pets and it is a great sight.”

Lamented Mandhane, “I go every morning and it is very sad to see these pet dogs littering the areas around the track, on the road, footpath etc. In fact I have seen poop on the track too.”

Stated Mandhane, “This goes on from 7 am to 9 am every day. As a conscious citizen I took a photograph recently of one such instance and confronted the dog owner. Instead of accepting that it was wrong to do so, he argued with me that everyone does it and questioned why I was singling him out.”

Lamented Mandhane, “Dog lovers who love their pets seem to care little about the city. Some dog owners carry scoops, but there are several who simply do not care. It is indeed shocking. Ironically, we are amongst the cleanest cities in the country. I don’t understand this mindset when the civic body has developed pet corners specifically for this very purpose. It is not only unhygienic but also a health risk.”

Sachin Adsul, a dog owner residing in sector 17 of Vashi said, “There is no such centre in our area. NMMC needs to develop such pet corners closer to residential areas so that they are easily accessible and there should be more awareness of the facilities with signboards etc.”

Stated Adsul, “Dogs need to be taken out to litter if not twice, at least once a day as I do with my pet. I of course take a scoop along during the walks so that when he litters, I can pick up the poop. That is the least we can do as responsible citizens.”

City engineer Sanjay Desai said, “Each of these pet corners cost around ₹9 lakh to set up. These are no show pieces but facilities to keep the city clean and provide a good environment for the pets and their owners.” He said the pet corners were developed to provide an alternative to the pet owners, who in the absence of the facility, faced penalties when their pets littered in the open. “The civic body is not interested in filling up its coffers in this manner as cleanliness and hygiene is our priority.”

Informed Desai, “We have now approached the civic licence department and asked them to take up the matter while granting or renewing licences. They have been asked to check for any violation and also specify in the licence terms and conditions that they have to use the pet corners.”

Added Dr Babasaheb Rajale, deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management), “We have activated our special squads to check on the menace. A fine of ₹200 is levied on the owner if any pet litter is in the open.”

He added, “Navi Mumbai has repeatedly received the highest `Water Plus’ rating in the open defecation free city category. It is important that not just humans, but animals who have shelter too do not defecate in the open. We are creating further awareness on the issue.”