Govt okays stray dog birth control project

Abhyudaya Kotnala

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Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 13

To control the stray dog menace in the city, the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) has expedited the process of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) project. The state government has cleared a detailed project report (DPR) of the ABC and the DMC has invited tenders for it.

Meanwhile, the construction work of a shelter home and a hospital in the Kedarpuram area are also underway.

Last year, the Nainital High Court had ordered the DMC to sterilise stray dogs within six months. The DMC also started working on the orders, but discontinued it following an agitation by animal lovers and NGOs. In Mussoorie, a mad dog had bitten 23 persons recently and an eight-year-old child from Dehradun died of rabies last month after he was bitten by a stray dog. These incidents have once again ignited the demand for keeping stray dogs under control. Under pressure of the people, the DMC has speeded up the ABC project work.

Mayor Vinod Chamoli said, “The stray dog menace has become a serious issue in the city. The DMC had to discontinue the drive to sterilise dogs following an agitation by animal lovers. But now things will get under control soon as the detailed report of the animal birth control project has got the government clearance and we have invited tenders for it. The construction of a dog shelter home and a hospital centre for sterilisation is also underway.”