Canine menace spirals out of control as officials pass the buck

The administration has failed to keep a check on the ever-rising canine menace in the town. Leaders of various organisations are struggling to find a resolution to the problem of the rising numbers of stray dogs, while officials of various departments just pass the buck when asked for a solution.

Families alleged that the administration has failed to take measures to prevent the rising incidents of dog-bites.

Jaswinder Singh and Ravinder Kaur of Ward 13 alleged that their son, Manraj Singh (7), was seriously injured after being mauled by a pack of stray dogs on Monday. Had our neighbour Sunita not dared to rescue Manraj from the dogs by risking her life, the loss could have been irreparable, said Jaswinder.

Manraj was taken to a private hospital, where his condition was stated to be stable. Tejol and Sangita of Hasanpur village in the district alleged that their minor son Ritik was also attacked by a pack of dogs outside their house. He was also rescued by passers-by.

This canine terror has been haunting residents in several localities, Jandali Road, Dehliz Road, Railway Road, Thana Road and Jawahar Nagar, among others.

Residents have urged the government to take concrete steps to check the rising population of stray dogs. They (residents) are upset that all pleas made by them to the civic body, veterinary department and the SDMs office have fallen on deaf ears. An increase in the number of dog-bite cases was also acknowledged by officials at the health department. Ahmedgarh Primary Health Centre SMO Dr Jyoti Kapoor said that on an average 10 cases of dog-bites were reported at the centre daily, whereas there might be others who preferred vaccination at some private hospital.

Although the Punjab and Haryana High Court had long ago directed the state government to find a solution to the problem, civic bodies in the region have failed to do the needful. It was observed that elderly persons, schoolchildren and commuters were the most susceptible to attacks. Municipal Council president Vikas Krishan Sharma said civic body officials had been advised to undertake extensive vaccination and sterilisation drives.