No takers for Raipur Kalan dog pound project in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Work on starting the city’s second dog sterilisation centre, which is being set up at Raipur Kalan, has got delayed as no doctor or NGO has showed interest in the sterilisation contract.

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation had floated a tender in this regard, but no one filed bids till April 30, the last date for submitting bids. The MC is now forced to refloat the tender.

It also raises questions on the civic body as earlier, it had taken more than one year to restart the sterilisation of dogs at its centre in Sector 38. The contract of the previous NGO had expired and the MC had to float tenders many times.

Key features of proposed pound

The state-of-the-art dog and cattle pound is being set up at Raipur Kalan. Along with sterilisation of unclaimed dogs here, their vaccination will also be done. The pound will also have a dog care unit where injured canines will be treated. It will also house a laboratory, a hospital and an operation theatre.

“Our dog sterilisation programme would have got double speed, but we have not got any bid for the job. We will refloat the tender. About 300-400 dogs are sterilised per month and as many dogs will be operated on at the new centre,” said an officer concerned.

The state-of-the-art dog and cattle pound is being set up at Raipur Kalan. Along with sterilisation of unclaimed dogs here, their vaccination will also be done. The pound will also have a dog care unit where injured canines will be treated. It will also house a laboratory, a hospital and an operation theatre.

Around 28 dog-bite cases per day on an average were reported in the city in 2020. According to the data with the UT Health Department, 10,558 persons were bitten by dogs in the city last year.