BHOPAL: The city’s dog lovers have held Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) responsible for incidents like the one in Bagh Sewaniya area where stray dogs mauled a girl child recently. They said BMC’s campaign to sterilise dogs has failed to achieve desired results due to corruption and mismanagement.
The dog lovers say it may sound bizarre but the fact remains that cleanliness drive is also linked to growing hunger in the street dogs as there is less garbage now in the city where dogs usually find left-over food.
But, the dog lovers add, it doesn’t mean that cleanliness drive should be stopped. The BMC should take care of the hunger aspect as well.
Stray dogs at Atal path, Bhopal | FP
People for Animals (PSA) coordinator, Bhopal, Swati Gaurav said according to the Animal Welfare Board estimation, the population of stray dogs in any city should become negligible 10 years after the launch of a sterilisation programme. “The BMC has been sterilising dogs for nine years now. But the number of strays seems to have grown. You can see so many puppies everywhere. Doesn’t this show that no actual work has been done,” she remarked.
She said an NGO has been receiving contract for sterilising dogs without a break for past nine years. “The NGO is paid on basis of count of organs. The same organs are counted again and again. And NGO gets payment. The BMC officials get their cut. And stray dogs continue to procreate,” she added.
Animals with Humanity founder Ishika Kakde said sterilisation of dogs is not being done properly. “Once a dog is sterilised, it becomes less aggressive,” she added. BMC’s dog-catcher squad catches strays from one locality and releases them in another. “This relocation is traumatising for dogs,” she said.
Stray dogs feeding on leftovers at Roshanpura in Bhopal | FP
Hunger is also a cause. Sunita Joshi, a fashion designer, who lives in Ansal Apartments, Shyamla Hills, said she has been feeding 250 dogs in her locality for 12 years. “Have you heard of any dog bite cases in Shyamla Hills? Have you ever seen a dog chasing a two-wheeler in Shyamla Hills? I bet you haven’t,” she added.
According to Sunita, hunger is the root cause of dogs attacking humans. She wants the government or municipal corporation to designate feeding points for stray dogs in every locality. She also wants to know why no one cares when little puppies are crushed by vehicles.
