Firm's contract not renewed, dog sterilisation drive hit in Amritsar

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, October 11

The much hyped dog sterilisation project at Animal Birth Control Centre has remained suspended for a long time as the contract with the private firm ended three months ago. The Municipal Corporation (MC) had inaugurated the dog sterilisation drive at Animal Birth Control Centre in the Chheharta area with pomp and show on August 10, 2021. Following the contract with MC, the private firm sterilised 5,000 dogs and shut down the operation. The MC has failed to renew the contract with any private firm to date.

Dr Kiran Kumar, Municipal Health Officer, claimed that the tender has been prepared and it would be floated soon.

Initially, the MC had started a pilot project to sterilise 2,000 dogs in December 2018 and hired a private firm, which was supposed to do the job for Rs18 lakh. Due to poor infrastructure, the MC could sterilise only 1,451 dogs in two years.

The MC General House sanctioned Rs 45 lakh on December 31, 2020 to sterilise 5,000 more dogs. Observing the requirement of a full-fledged sterilisation centre, the MC started constructing an Animal Birth Control Centre at Gumanpura. The ongoing sterilisation project was hanging fire due to inadequate infrastructure.

The Animal Birth Control Centre has a capacity to sterilise 150 dogs on a weekly basis. At present, there are over 40,000 stray dogs in the city and the problem has assumed alarming proportions.

Dog bite cases are a routine affair in the city. “A mad dog attacked the children several times in our locality. We have contacted the MC to catch the dog. They refused to provide the dog catchers as the contract of private firm has ended and the MC has no alternative solution to the dog menace,” said a resident of Officer’s Colony.

“During the last four years, the MC has sterilised around 7,000 dogs out of an estimated 40,000. If the MC works at the same pace, it would take 22 years to sterilise all dogs. However, the number would continue to increase. The MC should target to sterilise all canines in one year,” said Kuljit Singh.