Srinagar, Jan 24: The dog bites have broken all previous records in the City with almost 80% increase in the deadly cases within a year. From 4230 cases reported in 2010, the number swelled to 7257 in 2011. And, the actual figures could be even bigger as this data pertains to cases administered at Anti Rabies Clinic (ARC) at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar alone. Read on.

THE RECORD BITES
 Official sources at the SMHS clinic confirmed that it was the biggest ever number of dog bite cases registered in a year.
 And given the reports that other district hospitals too have started similar clinics, the officials said, the maximum number of cases administered at the City clinic, were from Srinagar alone.

MOST CASES DEADLY
 There’s another record about the dog bite cases. The medicos treating patients at the ARC said maximum cases were Category-3 Bites, considered deadliest among the canine attacks.
 The ARC In-Charge Dr Shehnaz Nabi while confirming statistics admitted that “majority of cases were Category-3 Bites.”
 “Dog bites are classified into three types where Category-1 means minor wounds like bruises and Category-3 includes the worst of the bleeding wounds where chances of rabies are highest,” she said.
 Also she admitted that the dog bite cases were increasing with each passing month.
 She however tried to defend the authorities pleading: “We have been treating all the cases in the best possible way and even provide vaccination.”

‘STERILIZATION NO SOLUTION’
 Experts have questioned the government plans to sterilize the stray dogs saying given the “enormous population dogs, it wouldn’t be logical to carry forward the idea.”
 “Culling the dogs is the only possible remedy to the crisis,” said a retired medico requesting not to be named.
 When contacted Member Association for Prevention and Control of Rabies in India, Dr Muhammad Salim Khan said: “WHO standards recommend that around 70% of the dogs should be sterilized within three months of start of the process. And this is just not logically possible in case of Srinagar given the huge number of stray packs.”

‘0 % ACTION’
 Just last week, SMC Commissioner, Sheikh Mushtaq had confessed his inability to take action against stray dogs in response to an SMS by prominent socialite Manzoor Ahmed Wangnoo whose 10-year-old nephew was bitten over a 100 times by  the canines.
 Mushtaq had said the “so called animal rights activists don’t even allow him to act against mad dogs.”
 In early 2011, the administration had announced “shoot at site orders against the rabid dogs.”
 But following apparent pressure from some quarters the orders were revoked overnight –giving a free hand to the rabid lot.

THE MENACE
 The summer capital with over one lakh dogs reportedly on prowl has witnessed a surge in the canine attacks while at least three persons including a 10-year old boy of Zaina Kadal died in the past around a year.
 While the SMC admits its failure to eliminate stray dogs, the government has failed to formulate an alternative strategy to counter the menace other than looking ahead for a million dollar investment for “rehabilitation of dogs at state-of-the-art” pounds where the male of the specie could be sterilized.

GOVT CONCERN
 The coalition government is seemingly so concerned towards the welfare of dogs that last year following reports of alleged killing of stray packs in some area, it formulated a high level committee to probe the allegations.

BOTTOMLINE
 While many in government support the costly investment of dog pound construction, expected to cost around Rs 10,000 crore; a million dollar question posed by Chief Justice FM Ibraheem-Kalif-Ullah, who has been personally hearing a PIL over the dog menace, remains un-answered: Will a dog stop biting after sterilization?

Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 IST