The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will decentralise its veterinary services and reshuffle staff after Pune deputy mayor Parshuram Wadekar raised concerns over complaints related to stray dog bites, vaccination and sterilisation being neglected at ward-office level.
A meeting was held on Wednesday during which officials were directed to improve the response mechanism and ensure that complaints are handled at the ward level.
Wadekar said complaints received directly at the PMC headquarters were being monitored more closely, while those submitted at ward offices were not receiving the same attention.
“There are several complaints from elected representatives and citizens at ward offices regarding stray dogs. These complaints are also being handled in a centralised manner, which causes inconvenience to citizens. I have asked that complaints should be handled at the ward-office level. Each ward office should have a dedicated vehicle and complaints should be addressed locally,” Wadekar said.
The PMC currently has five vehicles, one for each zone and a private NGO operates 15 vehicles across the city for veterinary services. Wadekar has asked the civic administration to ensure that the NGO vehicles stationed at ward offices are used effectively for local complaints. Besides, the civic body owned vehicles, said officials.
According to the PMC, it receives around 150 online complaints a day. “Many complaints relate to issues such as dogs barking or chasing vehicles, for which the civic body may not have a direct solution. However, complaints involving dog bites, vaccination and sterilisation are treated as priority cases,” said Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, chief veterinary officer, PMC.
{{/usCountry}}According to the PMC, it receives around 150 online complaints a day. “Many complaints relate to issues such as dogs barking or chasing vehicles, for which the civic body may not have a direct solution. However, complaints involving dog bites, vaccination and sterilisation are treated as priority cases,” said Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, chief veterinary officer, PMC.
{{/usCountry}}The civic administration will also prepare a list of vehicles deployed for veterinary services, along with their registration numbers and contact details. The list will be shared with ward officers to enable better coordination and accountability.
Wadekar also called for a reshuffle of mukadams (sanitation supervisors) associated with the veterinary operations, citing complaints that field-level issues were not being resolved.
As per PMC officials, the large volume of online complaints made it difficult to respond effectively when only one vehicle was available for a particular area. The proposed ward-level deployment is aimed at reducing delays and improving response to complaints involving stray dogs.
The PMC has directed officials to implement the changes and improve coordination between ward offices, veterinary staff and vehicles deployed for field operations.