Canines post threat to people irrespective of age; SMC in slumber
By: Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR: Srinagar is one of the smart cities in India. In this regard many development projects were initiated by the Jammu & Kashmir administration. However, an important civic issue is playing a damp squib while casting a shadow on the overall image of Srinagar as a smart city.
The civic issue that is no less than a challenge for the people at helm is the dog menace. Packs and hordes of stray dogs can be seem roaming in the different parts of the summer capital of the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The presence of dogs everywhere is making the lives of people troublesome.
People in general more so the children and elderly, are worried over the presence of dogs in their particular areas. The presence of the dogs in the different areas makes the movement of people full of challenges. Residents are not able to discharge their daily chores of life and at times have to change their plan of action.
“I used to go to Masjid at dawn to offer prayers, but the presence of dogs has forced me to change the plan. As on date I offer the prayers at home even though I am not satisfied. The administration seems to be least bothered over the issue,” says Abdul Rehman, a resident of Soura.
According to the official data of 2011 Census, Srinagar had a dog population of 60,000 with the unofficial figures at that pointing out that the population of dogs being 90,000. Over the past one decade or so there has been an increase in the dog population with the latest unofficial figures pointing out population to be one lakh or even more than that.
Over the years Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has failed to tide over the crisis generated by the population explosion of canines. The Corporation has not been able to take the sterilization process to the expected levels of people and as such the city residents as well as those living in outskirts have to face the music.
“The SMC higher ups had claimed that they would be carrying out the sterilization to the full throttle and the population increase of dogs would be put to rest. Years have gone by but the ground situation seems to have changed very little. The whole process of sterilization has gone awry with very few dogs being sterilized at the designated centres,” said Mohammad Maqbool, a resident of Nowpora.
People living in the outskirts of Srinagar have a different tale to tell in this regard. They say that officials of SMC ferry the dogs from the posh areas of the city in the Corporation trucks and then place them in their areas. These people say that it is due to this reason that dog attacks have increased in areas falling outside the municipal limits of Srinagar.
“People living in some of the posh colonies of Srinagar are highly influential and have a say in the working of the government. These influential people pressurize the officers of SMC who in turn pressurize the line staff. Following this the canines are transported from posh areas to less privileged areas,” said Abdul Majeed, a resident of Dangarpora, an outskirt area of Srinagar.
In the past one decade or so there has been an increase in dog attacks not only in Srinagar, but in other parts of the Kashmir valley as well. Day in and day out media reports emanate that dogs have attacked people in one locality or the other. The children are the worst sufferers in this regard since the canines pounce upon them according to their own wish and will.
“My children fear to come out of the house since they apprehend that they be might be attacked by dogs. As such I don’t allow them to go out and accompany them as and then they want to venture out. Although my son is fond of cycling he cannot do so on the road fearing attack from the canines,” said Shakeela Bano, a resident of Bohri Kadal.
There are people who opine that an increase in the population of dogs has been witnessed in areas where there are camps of security forces personnel. They say that since the left-over food is healthy the dogs get chance to relish the same following which they are able to increase their population.
“If the sterilization process would have been taken more seriously by the SMC, Srinagar would not have witnessed so much increase in population of canines. We can still recover from the alarming situation. The SMC should streamline the sterilization process and ensure that dogs in sufficient number are sterilized,” said Mohammad Yusuf, a resident of Bemina.
The lower rung SMC officials seem to be helpless in this regard and they say that the decision in this regard has to be taken by the higher ups of the Corporation. Some of the old hands in this regard say that in the past dogs used to be poisoned and as such natural balance was maintained.
“Since we cannot poison the canines at present the only option available to us is sterilization. If we are able to control the population of dogs half the battle is won, but for that we need strong resolve from the civic body i.e., SMC. Once the population is controlled there would be less attacks on people with a sigh of relief being heaved by one and all,” said Shiraz Ahmad, a Safai Karamchari of SMC.