MC to revive sterilisation drive

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 23

After a seven-year-old child in Nabha was mauled to death by a pack of dogs three days ago, the Municipal Corporation has decided to revive its sterilisation drive to ensure that no such incident occurs in future.

The civic body has started developing infrastructure, including construction of new operation theatres and kennels, to ensure proper operation process and providing post-operative care. 

MC officials are also considering an option to tie up with Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, so that it can send its students to Patiala for proper training with doctors as to how sterilisation is performed. After training, these students will assist the administration in performing these operations.

The number of dog-bite cases in Patiala has reached an alarming proportion. The scenario is so grim that these days stray dogs can be seen roaming around fearlessly on city roads and parents are also in a state of fear. They have stopped sending their kids outside alone.    

To curb the menace and build adequate infrastructure, the MC had sought a grant of Rs 50 lakh, out of which it has already received Rs 25 lakh. 

Notably, in April, 2015, Maneka Gandhi had objected to the contract that was awarded to an NGO for sterilising dogs in the city and even called up veterinarians to stop surgeries. 

In a complaint shot to the Patiala Divisional Commissioner, Maneka had alleged that senior officers of the Patiala administration had given an “illegal contract” to an NGO, Endangered Wild Life Society (ELWS), which was registered on a “fake” address of Uttarakhand.  

Following her complaint, the administration had stopped the drive.  The Society for People’s Welfare and Awareness had held demonstrations against Maneka Gandhi for “sabotaging” the much-awaited drive against the menace of stray dogs and demanded her resignation on moral grounds. 

The Society for People’s Welfare and Awareness, an NGO of Patiala, had even demanded that the Union Government should make amendments in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to ensure the safety of humans. It had said the NGO, People for Animals, run by the Union Minister, had failed to address the apathy of stray dog victims in the country. According to it, sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs was a welcome step but there was no guarantee of the vaccine. Moreover, if the dogs were dropped back at the same place after sterilisation, the nuisance continued, the NGO said.   

MC Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira said the civic body had already initiated the process and it was holding meetings to ensure that the animals were treated properly. It was the duty of the civic body to ensure residents’ safety and it would be ensured, he added.