Stray Dog Menace: Rural Belts Turn into Risky Zones with No Sterilization Plan

The situation of dog bite cases is on the rise despite the fact that Municipal Corporation is looking after sterilization of stray dogs.

The shocking incident comes out in which a 4-year-old boy Virak Kumar was mauled to death by a bunch of stray dogs in Bahomajra Village of Khanna on Monday. This once again exposed the district administration’s failure to control the menace of stray dogs.

Despite innocent lives being snuffed out due to dog bite, there is still no solid plan in place for sterilization of dogs in rural areas such as Khanna, Raikot, Doraha, Jagraon and other areas falling outside the municipal corporation (MC) limits. Even in Ludhiana city, where the civic body is handling the dog sterilization project, the situation is no good, with residents raising a hue and cry over the rising number of stray dogs and dog bite cases.

As per the report, 7,416 dog bite cases were reported in 2019.

Right to Information (RTI) had revealed that 7,619 cases of dog bite were reported at the civil hospital from January 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019. This also includes the dog bite cases from the areas outside MC limits.

Fund-starved municipal councils in the district and lack of adequate space is a major barrier in preventing the rising population of stray dogs.

According to the sources in the Ludhiana MC, “Some representatives from the additional deputy commissioner (development) office had also contacted the civic body for starting a dog sterilization project in areas outside the MC limits in 2018.” However, the project never saw the light of day and canines remained a constant threat to the lives of residents.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said the administration is looking for possible solutions and the matter was also discussed with MC officials during the review meeting conducted by local MP Ravneet Bittu at Bachat Bhawan on Tuesday.

“At the time of emergency, the administration asks the animal husbandry department to conduct sterilization of stray dogs in a particular area or village. However, we are working to find a permanent solution for the problem,” said Agrawal, adding that he had also asked the MC officials to see if stray dogs from other subdivisions or villages could be sterilized at MC’s facility as the civic body is already taking up the project in the city.

Deputy Commissioner said that they can also come with some more centers in rural areas, but transportation of dogs remains a major constraint for the project.

Meantime, Sarabjeet Singh Kang is the leader of the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP). They will meet the family of 4-year-old Viraj Kumar, who was mauled by a number of stray dogs a day before. Kang said that they will take up the matter with the administration. “No anti-rabies vaccine was available at the hospital. We will also ask the administration to shift the garbage dump situated near the victim’s house as a large number of stray dogs rummage in it for food,” Kang said.