Lakhs spent, yet no respite from stray dog menace in Karnal

Karnal, September 28

Even after spending lakhs on sterilisation and vaccination programmes to deal with the issue of stray dog menace, there is no respite for the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC).

As per the data collected by The Tribune, a sum of Rs 8 lakh was spent on the sterilisation and vaccination of 1,190 dogs between September 2020 and February 2021. Thereafter, no such programme was implemented in the city, resulting in the rise of the menace.

The Health Department data reveals that there has been an exponential rise in the number of dog-bite cases in the past few months. In the months of August and September this year, 2196 anti-rabies vaccines were administered at the Civil Hospital.

The KMC sources said the survey was yet to be conducted to determine the number of stray dogs in the city. It is only after the survey that a tender would be floated for re-implementing the sterilisation programme.

“Even after raising the issue with the MC authorities, the number of stray dogs has been increasing daily,” said Gaurav Aneja, a local.

Amit Mehta, a resident of Bank Colony, said the pet owners should also sterilise their dogs to avoid unscientific breeding, overpopulation and the abandonment of puppies. Dog vaccinations must be made compulsory and a pre-condition for owning dogs, he added.

Sumita Singh, former MLA, said the authorities must take immediate action against this rising problem as several accidents related to dog attacks have been recently reported.

Arun Bhargava, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, said, “The MC is already working to check the rise of stray dog menace in the city, and will get rid of it soon.”