Srinagar: Amid tall claims of Srinagar Municipal Cooperation (SMC), the menace of stray dogs posing threats to populace in city is growing unabated.
There are thousands of stray dogs rooming across the Srinagar city where 5496 dog bite cases were reported from April 2017 to February 2018. And this number is only of the cases that were recorded in one hospital, SMHS.
The stray dog biting cases over the years are rapidly increasing, in 2015-2016, 1724 cases were reported, in 2016-2017, it was around 6753 cases and in 2017-2018, 5496 cases have been reported so far which is growing at a rapid pace and poses threat to resident living nearby, reveal the records of the hospital.
Though always making tall claims, authorities so far have failed to put a check on the growing population of stray dogs in the city, allege locals.
Due to heaps of garbage scattered all over, Bemina, Qamarwari, Batmalloo, Lal Chowk., Rawalpora, Khaniyar, Rajourikadal, Jawaharnagar and other crowded places in Srinagar are attracting hoards of stray dogs, say locals.
However, Srinagar Municipal Cooperation (SMC) commissioner Rayaz Ahmad Wani says the population of stray dogs has reduced.
“The stray dog population has reduced as compared to past. It was 90,000 in 2011, 49,000 in 2014 and now in 2018 it is just 30,000. Dog bite cases too have come down from 7000 t0 5000 at present,” Wani told Kashmir Images.
“For curbing the stray dog menace in the city, we are closing all open garbage sheds and have launched door to door collection of domestic garbage by deputing fleet of vehicles besides special garbage collection vehicles are being provide to all hoteliers, restaurants and poultry outlets,” he said, adding that ABC-AR centre is coming up at Tengpora at a cost of around 1.47 crore that will help enhance the number of sterilization to 70-80 per day.
“Right now, the process is confined to only 10-15 dogs per day,” he said.
