Amritsar MC’s much-publicised stray dog sterilisation campaign comes under fire for poor implementation, irregularities

The much-publicised dog sterilisation drive initiated by the Municipal Corporation Amritsar (MCA) has come under fire for serious irregularities, poor implementation and lack of transparency. Despite official claims that over 27,000 stray dogs have been sterilised since 2022, there is no visual or documentary evidence to support these numbers, raising questions over the authenticity of the drive.

Advertisement

Two Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, one in Naraiangarh, Chheharta, and the other in Fatehgarh Shukarchak, were set up by the MCA to undertake sterilisation procedures. However, both centres lack CCTV cameras, and there is no mandatory videography of operations. As a result, there is no verifiable record that the procedures are being carried out as claimed.

In the absence of monitoring, the civic body records the daily numbers on paper without ensuring actual on-ground verification. The municipal staff relies on the disposal of removed reproductive organs (ovaries and fallopian tubes) as indirect proof of sterilisation, but even this process is bypassed, as these biological remains are immediately sent to biomedical waste disposal without inspection.

Another issue plaguing the drive is gender disparity in operations. Fewer female dogs are sterilised due to higher procedural costs. While sterilising a male dog costs around Rs 1,100, the expense for a female dog rises to Rs 1,500 or more. This cost-cutting has led to more unsterilised female dogs giving birth, further aggravating the stray dog population.

Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia has now assured to review the project and make the required changes. “We will install CCTV cameras at all sterilisation centres and record videos of each operation. Dog shelter homes will also be set up for post-operative care,” he stated. He also announced the release of a new tender to accelerate the pace of the sterilisation drive and assured that he would personally monitor the process to ensure accountability.

As of now, only 10-20 dogs are sterilised per day, against the original target of 50. However, experts warn that with over 50 puppies reportedly born daily, the Municipal Corporation must ramp up operations to 100 sterilisation procedures per day to effectively control the stray dog menace in the city.