Srinagar: Failure of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to take measures for checking stray dog menace in the summer capital is taking toll on people.
Residents from various Srinagar areas said that the presence of stray dogs at every nook and corner has restricted their movement.
“Dozens of dogs are roaming in packs in Downtown. SMC has been saying that they will launch a major dog sterilisation programme, but so far, they have done nothing. Unless there is a proper mechanism to check the menace, people will continue to suffer. We are unable to roam freely in the presence of stray dogs,” said Ishfaq Ahmed, a resident of Nowhatta.
The locals said that there is no concrete programme to check dog menace on the ground, which is making life miserable for them.
“With the growing dog population, there are growing attacks in Srinagar on pedestrians and commuters on a daily basis,” they said.
“We are not even safe while traveling in vehicles. If you visit an area like Hazratbal outskirts, heaps of garbage have become a breeding ground for dogs. There are daily attacks of dogs on commuters, particularly those traveling on two-wheelers. I was myself attacked on a two-wheeler last month near SKIMS Hospital and had to go for treatment. Our lives are in danger as the authorities are sleeping,” said Kaisar Ahmad, a local from Hazratbal.
The locals said that major Srinagar landmarks like hospitals, University campuses, and markets are dotted with dogs. The officials from SMC have been saying that the department is going to set up new sterilisation centers for the canine population.
A senior official from SMC said that they have recently started the operations at Tengpora Dog sterilisation facility.“Earlier, we only had one dog sterilisation facility at SKUAST Shuhama, but now with the recent addition of the Tengpora dog sterilization facility, we will be able to address the issue,” they added.