HYDERABAD: Faced with increasing number of stray dog bite cases and alarming increase of dog population in the Greater Hyderabad limits, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to step up sterilisation and vaccination of canines on a largescale with the support of state animal husbandry department in the twin cities.
There are around six lakh stray dogs in the city. The GHMC had decided to avail the services of animal husbandry department for birth control measures among the dogs and make Hyderabad city a rabies-free city.
As part of birth control measures among dogs, steps would be taken to sterilise 70 per cent of stray dogs and administer anti-rabies vaccination in the next six months.
GHMC commissioner B Janardhan Reddy has asked the veterinary officials to sterilise 2.8 lakh dogs in the next six months by taking the help of animal husbandry department. At least 20 veterinary doctors from different districts would be brought on deputation for sterilisation process.
Janardhan Reddy held a meeting with the GHMC officials and Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) here on Tuesday. He said that the GHMC veterinary wing has been availing the services of 24 private veterinary doctors and paying Rs 40 per dog to carry out sterilisation.
A fleet of over dozen vehicles and 102 staff members were engaged to catch the dogs from the streets, shift them for sterilisation and vaccination and leave them back in the same locality after a notch in the ears. On a daily basis, 350 dogs were being sterilised.
The commissioner also announced setting up of additional animal care centres. Presently, there are five animal care centres in the city.
As per the records of IPM, Narayanaguda no person died in the last two years due to rabies. Around 61,749 dog bite cases were reported in 2014-15 and 2015-16, up to January.
The commissioner also asked citizens having pet dogs to obtain licenses by paying Rs 50. GHMC has the power to take away pet dogs that do not have the prescribed licence.
Corporation to Set up 10 More Garbage Transfer Stations
Hyderabad: To deal with proper disposal of garbage, the GHMC plans to set up 10 more garbage transfer stations in different parts of Greater Hyderabad limits, commissioner B Janardhan Reddy has said. At present, there are 12 garbage transfer stations in corporation limits and these are found to be inadequate. About 4,000 tonnes of garbage is generated in the city every day on an average and transported to the Jawahar Nagar dumping yard from these garbage transfer stations. The commissioner inspected a four-acre open land near the Amberpet sewage treatment plant on Tuesday to know if it is suitable for setting up a garbage transfer station there. The GHMC has requested the collectors of Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts to provide lands for setting up garbage transfer stations.