Srinagar, June 6: Despite large presence of stray dogs in the summer capital and a sharp increase in the number of dog bite cases, authorities have failed to set-up the dog sterilisation centres.
While as many as 30,000 dog bite cases have been reported at the SMHS hospital alone in the last five years, various government proposals to set-up dog sterilisation centres have not moved ahead.
Presence of dogs, especially near garbage bins on roads and bylanes is making it risky for pedestrians to move. People from different parts of the city said stray dogs, especially during evening and early mornings are making life difficult for pedestrians.
The residents in Tailbal, Burzahama, Gasoo, Shalimar, Harwan, New-Theed told Greater Kashmir that they have to accompany their elders and children every time when they venture out due to the fear of dog bites. The residents in uptown and Shah-Khaas also decry the unchecked population of dogs.
“If you travel from Tailbal towards Shalimar, at multiple places there are heaps of garbage where you will find over two dozen dogs at a single spot. It is risky for pedestrians to move because one cannot risk getting bitten by dogs. It is mostly the children who have been attacked,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a local from Tailbal. He said authorities should proper management of solid waste by both residents as well as the municipal authorities is needed to keep a check on the dog menace.
While the issue of stray dogs has been becoming an increasing concern over the years, it is often seen that a hue and cry is made only when an incident of dog bite takes place.
Recently an 8-year-old child was mauled to death by stray dogs in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and later another child who was bitten by a dog succumbed at a Srinagar hospital drawing public flak. These incidents have bought public focus on the issue but locals from Srinagar say that on ground not much is done to curb the menace. As the sterilization facilities of SMC have been defunct most of the times, residents say that there has been no way to control the menace.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Veterinary officer, Dr Javaid Ahmed told Greater Kashmir that the department is mulling to add more dog sterilization centers soon.
“The pandemic has derailed the process of setting up the new sterilisation facility. We are doing everything possible to add more dog sterilization centers soon. We will also set-up a dog sterilization facility at Tengpora which will boost the capacity and help in curbing the issue,” said Dr Javaid.
The growing dog population coupled with least capacity to sterilize had made it hard to manage the issue. The officials say that there is a need to provide a boost to the existing infrastructure to keep on check on the growing population of stray dogs. In 2013 , SMC collaborated with SKUAST Shuhama and had set-up a dog sterilization center. However, officials say the center has been closed most of the time.
“The center has been defunct many times in the last three years, first due to the situation after Article 370 abrogation and then Covid. The center already has a maximum capacity to sterilize 20 dogs which is very small given the growing population of dogs. The center is also not designed to be operational during low temperatures which is the reason for it being closed during winter months,” said an official.