Sharp rise in dog bite cases; 300 a month!
Aparna Banerji
Jalandhar, February 27
Over 300 dog bite cases are being reported in Jalandhar every month. The daily number of dog bite cases has seen a sharp rise in the past six to seven months. While the dog bite cases had come down to 20 to 25 a day some months ago, a whopping 35 to 40 cases are now reported daily lately as per the data by the Health Department. More than 40 cases of dog bite were reported in Jalandhar on Monday.
Civic body lax in taking action
The population of stray dogs in the city was 40,000 then. It has risen now, and with it the dog bite cases too. Since we submitted a memorandum to MC two years ago, there has been no decisive action yet.— Sushil Sharma, BJP leader
There are certain localities where residents say they dread stepping out in the night. While the issue has been raised countless times by residents, councillors and victims of dog bites, there is no let up to stay dog menace in the city. Since 2017, when the much-delayed dog sterlisation project formally took off in the district with the inauguration of the Nangal Shama dog compound (in November 2017) a total of 27,924 dogs have been sterlised in the district since then.
Interestingly, the number of stray dogs in Jalandhar remains put at 40,000 for the past several years, even though activists raise concerns that the figure must be much higher now. Additionally, while the dog sterilisation in the district saw a steep rise in 2019 (with 11,453 cases), it has come down since then. Officials said the Covid pandemic also hit the sterilisation project in Jalandhar.
The extent of the stray dog problem can be gauged from the tales of delivery persons traversing the streets. They say there are certain localities everyone dreads to visit during the night.
Jyoti Dhamija, a delivery person, in Jalandhar says, “I have myself been chased by a pack of dogs last night. There is a street in Green Model Town which everyone is scared of taking orders at night. I was bitten in Gobindgarh, but a thick layer of clothing saved me. Even by hurling stones, they are not dissuaded. An acquaintance at Green Model was bitten badly last week. Another delivery girl was also bitten. A third was attacked by a pet dog. These cases are getting very frequent and scary.”
Prof Rohit Chatrath, a resident of Nijatam Nagar, says, “Just days ago, we were returning from a wedding late in the night and we got chased by dogs. People are scared to step out in the night. We can’t take late night or early morning walks. Dogs chase people.”
In September 2021, BJP leader (presently district BJP president) Sushil Sharma handed a memorandum to then MC Commissioner Karnesh Sharma after a dozen people were bitten by dogs in the Vikrampura locality. One of the victims, a child, received 23 stitches; another elderly person suffered a pelvic bone fracture and a third received a deep injury on his leg.
Dr Raj Kamal, Assistant Health Officer, MC, Jalandhar, who is also part of the Stray Animal Control Ad Hoc Committee, said: “Ever since the dog compound at Nangal Shama started in 2017, the sterlisation project has been going on smoothly in the district. The current contract of the team carrying out sterilisations is up for renewal in 2023, regarding which a demand has been sent to Chandigarh. The project was hit in the Covid years. But as soon as the tender is renewed the project will be carried out properly.”
Dr. Simranjeet Singh, in charge of the dog compound at Nangal Sham said: “Since 2018, we have carried out over 27,000 sterilisations in the district. We personally get a couple of complaints of dog bites per day. We have a capacity of 150 dogs at the compound and various kennels, including one for 15 to 20 dogs, 3-4 kennels for single dogs and 15 more kennels for 2-3 dogs at which animals are housed. We have 12 staff members, including three doctors who carry out sterlisations at the kennel. While we have another over two acres of spare space behind the building.”
