Gurgaon: Valley View Estate residents approach MCG against dog menace

Valley View Estate residents said dogs often chase and try to bite children. Three instances of dog bites have been reported from the condominium in the last three months.

The residents of Valley View Estate on Gurgaon-Faridabad Road complained to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner regarding the dog menace in their complex. Residents said the children and elderly find it difficult to venture out because over 50 stray dogs are frequently seen roaming around.

Residents said the children and elderly find it difficult to venture out because over 50 stray dogs are frequently seen roaming around. (HT Photo)

Residents said dogs often chase and try to bite children. Three instances of dog bites have been reported from the condominium in the last three months. Out of fear, many children and elderly have stopped going to parks, and on walks.

Stray dogs bit a nine-year-old boy, Neil Malik, in February after he fell on one of them while playing at the park in the condominium. The startled animal started barking at him, attracting other dogs towards the boy.

“My lower arm was bitten and I was rushed to the hospital.... After that incident, I am really scared and I do not go to play downstairs. The same dog is still there and keeps barking,” Neil Malik a class 2 student of The Sri Ram School said.

The helpless working parents have not found a solution to their growing anxiety. “The children miss their friends and the playground,” Madhu Alisha, another resident, said.

“The complex has nearly 800 children and they are forced to remain indoors. Parents have bought carrom and chess boards for them but without outdoor activity, they will get into playing video games which one should avoid. “Stray dogs have now become a menace in our complex. In recent days, many incidents in which children are attacked by these stray dogs without any provocation have come to our notice. The authorities are not able to take adequate measures to avoid such incidents citing lack of laws (to relocate) in place to handle such situations,” Preeti Jain, a resident, who gathered support to approach the civic body, said.

“With stray dogs in our society, it’s scary to go for morning and evening walks; we have to carry a stick with us. They also sit in front of the main gate, so it becomes difficult to enter the complex as they bark and advance towards us,” Sarbjit Kaur, another resident, said.

The MCG is working towards engaging an NGO in the next financial year to sterilise stray dogs. The exercise had been stalled as no grant was provided to the NGO that was working with the civic body, earlier.

“The safety of residents is important to us. We will ensure that the problem is resolved at the earliest. In the next financial year, the MCG will hire an NGO and ensure that sterilisation is conducted across the city. I have asked the residents to identify a space in the locality where the stray dogs can be housed and get back to me. We will get the dogs segregated. We need to keep them with dignity,” V Umashankar, MCG commissioner, said.