The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council on Friday witnessed acrimonious discussion on the street dog menace with members cutting across party lines complaining about it.
The councillors said there was an increase in the street dog population and they as elected representatives were at a loss to understand who had to be approached in the absence of any authority to deal with the issue. “We are being bombarded by the public with complaints of children and the elderly being attacked by stray dogs,” complained the members.
At this juncture, MCC Commissioner Asad-ur-Rehman intervened and in a lighter vein cautioned the members on any animated discussion on the issue. He said any heated debate or decision taken in the council on the issue of animals and street dogs reaches Delhi. “The NGOs and people voicing the cause of animals are alert and I have myself received 3 phone calls from Maneka Gandhi when I was the commissioner in Tumakuru,” he said in jest and added that on animal issues, especially with respect to stray dogs, it was prudent to talk less in public and work more.
It also transpired that there was no veterinary officer in the MCC after the revision in cadre and recruitment rules. The Mayor, replying to the members complaint, said that the MCC has no ongoing programme to rehabilitate or deal with stray dogs but for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme which was entrusted to People For Animals (PFA).
He said land has been identified for a facility to rehabilitate sick and injured animals but after treatment they have to be released back into the same area as per the Supreme Court orders. Mr. Shivakumar said an inspection of the land identified for animal rehabilitation will be taken up on Monday.
