After years of slumber over the alarming dog menace in the summer capital, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has decided to do exactly what during previous experiment brought failure: sterilize dogs.
 Last time, in 2008, a pilot project to sterilize the stray canines was started only to be shelved after a few weeks.
 This time again, the success in putting a check on the one lakh and growing canines seems bleak as observers say that by the time a thousand dogs would be sterilized, ten thousand more would add to the pack.

THE LATEST ATTEMPT
 The SMC has invited Expression of Interest from NGO’s for the sterilization of stray dogs.
 “Expression of Interest is invited from registered NGOs (registered with Animal Welfare Board of India) for Immunization & sterilization of stray dogs in Srinagar city as per Animal Birth Control Programme of Government of India,” reads the advertisement published in local dailies Tuesday.
  “The NGO registered with Animal Welfare Board of India since last 15 years should have required expertise and field experience to carry out dog sterilization programme as per Animal Birth Control Rules,” it adds.
 The SMC insiders said the corporation plans to get around 30 dogs sterilized a day. This means some 1000 dogs would be treated per month taking the total number of sterilizations a year to a maximum of 12000.
  “The surgical sterilization,” as per the SMC,  “shall have to be carried out to both male/female dogs as per (Animal Birth Control) ABC norms,” the SMC ad adds.
 The sterilization of the dogs would be verified by a committee of officers. As states the advertisement: “Each sterilization has to be verifiable by a committee of officers to be constituted for the purpose.”

THE SPECIAL TREATMENT
 The dog undergoing sterilization will have to be kept under medical supervision presumably at a mobile ward, for a two day post operative care.
 Besides, its ear will be studded for future recognition.
 “It can be a metallic stud so that the sterilized canine can be differentiated from the others,” said a source.
 “After the procedure, the canine will be immunized against rabies.”

THE PREVIOUS FIASCO
 In 2008, the SMC in collaboration with the Animal Welfare Board of India had started a pilot project as per the Animal Birth Control norms to sterilize the canines. But after a few weeks, the project was somehow shelved. And since then the SMC has been tight lipped over the issue.
 Same year, animal rights activist, Manika Gandhi had personally preached the “sterilization benefits” to the SMC.
  “If the dogs are sterilized, vaccinated and left back in their original areas, the dog population will decrease dramatically within three years,” she had said.
 According to Maneka, dogs are the “territorial animals” which should not be killed.”
  “Every time one dog dies, it is replaced: every time one area is cleared of dogs, it is repopulated within a week by dogs from outside who come for the food, and then because they are strangers to local people, they bite…So clearing an area of dogs leads to increased bites.”
 But somehow the pilot project couldn’t be converted into a full fledged drive because the concept wasn’t found feasible on various fronts.

PRESENT APPREHENSIONS
 Observers said the sterilization was time consuming and costly.
 “Such a program isn’t conducive for place like Srinagar where we reportedly have over one lakh dogs. By the time a thousand dogs will be sterilized, ten thousand more will take birth,” said Dr Salim Khan, member Association for Prevention and Control of Rabies in India.
 Another observer said poising a dog costs mere around 50 rupees while as the sterilization could cost over Rs 400.

SMC OPTIMISM
 Despite repeated attempts the SMC Commissioner couldn’t be contacted as his mobile remained switched off.
 Similar remained access to the City Mayor. “Sahib is out of station,” said his office people.
 But the SMC officials are optimistic that the sterilization would help get rid of the dog menace.
 “We will go for a large scale sterilization,” said an SMC official requesting not to be named.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 IST