SMC delays dog sterilisation process despite infra available

SRINAGAR: Despite building the infrastructure, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has yet to commence dog sterilisation process.
The delay in starting the sterilisation process comes at a time when Anti-Rabies Clinic at SHMS Hospital from April 2022 to March 2023 reported more than 6800 dog bite cases. While more than 49,000 dog bite cases have been recorded from April 2015 to March 2023.
Talking to The News Now, Dr TawheedNajar Veterinary Officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) said, "The infrastructure for Dog sterilisation process has recently come up at Tengpora Srinagar".
However, the dog sterilisation process is yet to start, he said. Adding that Najar said, "It is the agency that will carry out the sterilisation process, as it is being outsourced by the SMC. Though, we have alloted the same to one party, however, they have to get the permission from Animal Welfare Board. Only then the sterilisation of dogs will start here in Srinagar".
To deal with the issue of stray dogs we can legally intervene by practicing Animal Birth Control (Dog) rules 2023.Under this rule, relocation and killing of dogs is not permitted. We can implement animal birth control and anti rabies vaccination to deal with human and stray dog conflicts, he said.
Adding that he said, Tengpora dog sterilisation centre has a kennel capacity of around 210 dogs. We can sterilize 60 dogs at maximum per day. Apart from this another center is under construction at Chitrahama.
Chitrahama has a capacity of around 100 dogs. The menace of human and dog conflict is a global issue.We address these complaints often with patience as we cannot implement people's suggestions regarding stray dogs.The provision to deal with this issue here is only to practice Animal Birth Control rules, he said.
After procedures are done we are bound to put dogs in the same locality from where they were taken. We request people to kindly cooperate with us, Najar said.