Srinagar, Feb 11: Finally, the government Friday woke up to fight the dog menace on “war footing” with Divisional Commissioner, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon asking the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to start sterilization of the canines from next week even as he sought co-operation from various public circles.
 To start with the SMC has been asked to sterilize around a 100 dogs a day while the same is scheduled to swell to 200 mark within a few days. The other concerned agencies including the Animal Husbandry department and the SKUAST (K) are scheduled to provide requisite assistance and expertise.
 Pertinently, Greater Kashmir has been frequently highlighting the dog menace, which prompted the government to react.

THE RESOLUTION
 The decisions were taken during a high level meeting chaired by Dr Samoon at his office chambers were unlike routine meetings which often ship with typical red-tapism, the official seemed to be looking for some immediate out-of-box solution to the dog menace that has assumed alarming proportions in the summer capital.
 “I won’t allow the dog menace to be a business of making money. Anybody can be bitten anytime. This is our common problem, a health and a social issue. So our objective is to get rid of the menace without delaying it any further,” the Divisional Commissioner, who is a veterinarian by qualification, informed the meeting.
 “We are all public servants and need to act accordingly,” he added.
 Dr Samoon maintained that fighting dog menace wasn’t his priority but that the situation had compelled him to act so.
 “My priority is to see that things like human rights violations don’t take place. But when I see a dog biting someone I can’t act a mute spectator,” he added.

THE STRATEGY
 As per the immediate strategy resolved, the SMC will start the dog sterilization at Cattle Pond Tengpora. For this SKUAST(K)’s Veterinary College will provide six internship students on rotational bases on all working days for six months while the Animal Husbandry department will provide two vet experts.
 Besides, the SMC will provide six dog catchers who will catch the stray packs, only the male ones, for sterilization.
 It was also decided that the SMC will train the staff as dog catchers. The Divisional Commissioner announced that an incentive of Rs 50 would be given for every male dog caught to the catchers.
 While the SMC Health Officer Dr Reyaz Ahmed said the civic body would soon roll out an automatic dog catching van, private load carrier, auto rickshaws will also be hired.
 Besides, the Veterinary College will provide dog catching equipment costing around Rs 1000.

SAMOON’S GIFT
 As a goodwill gesture, Dr Samoon said he would pay for the equipment out of his pocket and donate the same to SMC so that more such catchers are made at an earliest.
 “Don’t look for things like dog catching nets to be branded with a foreign label. Let’s make the best use of locally available and comparatively cheap material to catch them,” the Divisional Commissioner said.

DOGS TO GET STUDS
 For future recognition, the sterilized lot will get a stud punched in its ear while the animal will be sent back to the same area from where it was lifted.
 Till more funds get available, the Divisional Commissioner’s office will provide Rs one lakh as interim amount for the program kickstart.

CIVIL SOCIETY WARNS
 Valley Citizens Council General Secretary Imdad Saki said such attempts had proved a hoax in the past.
 “The fact remains that nothing was done to check the dog menace. And if the authorities don’t act this we will poison the dogs and the government will be responsible for it simply because we can’t see our brethren getting victimized by the stray packs,” Saki cautioned the officials.

THE MEETING
 The meeting among others was attended by Additional Commissioner, Kashmir Abdul Majid Wani, Director Health Services, Kashmir Dr Muhammad Amin Wani, Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Dr Ghulam Rasool Mir, Additional District Development Commissioner, Srinagar Sarmad Hafeez, Dean Veterinary Sciences SKUAST-K, OSD with Div Com Kashmir Aamir Ali, Health Officer, Dy Director Animal Husbandry, Dr MA Chisti, Supdt Central Vetenirary Hospital, Prof Zamir Andrabi, Associate Prof SKUAST-K, Dr MR Fazili, Dy Director Information, Sajad Hussain and Greater Kashmir’s City Page Editor Majid Hyderi.

REGULAR CHECK
 To review the progress, Dr Samoon said he would inspect the cattle pond in near future and also call a review meeting after a week.
 If all goes well, he said all the dogs would be sterilized within two to three months.

BOTTOMLINE
 While the government plans to put a check on dog population through sterilization, the officials have no word on how to bring down the canine population with over one lakh dogs prowling on the City streets.
 The meeting observed that a central government Act has banned the killing of dogs unless they are rabid!

 THE BYTES

*2 experts, 6 trainees, 6 dog catchers to start sterilization

*Sterilized lot to get ear studs for future recognition

*Dog catchers to get Rs 50 as incentive for each catch

*Div Com to pay Rs 1 lakh till more funds get available

*VCC warns of poisoning if things prove symbolic

Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST