A day after four stray dogs attacked and mauled to death an 18-month-old boy at a park in Sector 18, municipal corporation (MC) commissioner KK Yadav claimed that Chandigarh MC’s sterilisation programme was going on very well.
On the contrary, as per a survey conducted in October 2012 by the UT animal husbandry department, the number of stray dogs was 7,850, which around six years later has swelled to 13,000.
City mayor Davesh Moudgil admitted that the number had really gone up, but he had sought a report on it.
On tackling the stray dog menace, Yadav said, “We cannot do much to curb the menace as we are bound by the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2001. As per the ABC rules, we cannot displace dogs even after sterilisation. But from next week, we will identify dogs, especially in parks and green belts, pick them up and keep them in isolation for behavioural changes. We will start this sector wise, and seek residents’ cooperation.”
“We realise that animal life is important, but so is human life. However, since the ABC rules were upheld by the Supreme Court, we cannot do much with regards to dog population,” he added.
The Supreme Court in November 2016 had held that stray dogs can be killed only in accordance with the ABC Rules.
Tricity civic bodies sitting tight on coordination panel
{{/usCountry}}Tricity civic bodies sitting tight on coordination panel
{{/usCountry}}In a meeting of the mayors of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali in March last year, it was decided to form a tricity coordination committee of the three civic bodies, which would hold monthly meetings regarding stray dog management and rabies control.
It was decided that during these meetings, data regarding number of stray dogs vaccinated, sterilised and treated throughout the month will be shared so that the increasing population of dogs could be recorded. Over one year later, no such meeting has been conducted.