PATNA: Already burdened with a range of non-teaching assignments, government school teachers in Bihar have now been handed an unusual new responsibility, reporting on stray dogs.
After being deployed repeatedly for tasks such as SIR-related work as booth-level officers, census duties and other administrative assignments, government teachers posted under the Sasaram Municipal Corporation in Rohtas district have been asked to collect data on stray dogs.
The Sasaram Municipal Corporation has issued an order directing all schools within municipal limits to appoint a nodal officer from among their teachers to gather and share information related to stray dogs. The designated teacher will be required to report on the number of stray dogs found within and around school premises, their condition and possible measures for their control. The civic body is also planning to set up a dog pound as part of its strategy to manage the stray dog population.
Sasaram Municipal Commissioner Vikas Kumar said the directive was issued in accordance with government guidelines. He explained that educational institutions had been asked to nominate nodal officers to help authorities collect accurate, local-level data on stray dogs, which would aid future planning.
The move comes amid a sharp rise in dog bite incidents in Bihar. According to a report submitted to the Supreme Court in the national stray dog management case, dog bite cases in the state increased from 1.41 lakh in 2022 to 2.63 lakh. The report, based on affidavits filed by 24 states and Union Territories, also highlighted serious gaps in animal birth control infrastructure and data collection mechanisms.
The report was submitted by senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who has been appointed amicus curiae by the Supreme Court in the matter.
Health department data further underscores the gravity of the situation. Dog bite incidents in Bihar have risen by 22 per cent over the past year and have doubled in the last four years. On average, around 27,000 people are bitten by dogs every month this year, compared to about 22,000 per month in 2024.
The annual figures show a steady rise: 1.25 lakh cases in 2020, 62,000 in 2021, 1.42 lakh in 2022, 2.42 lakh in 2023 and 2.64 lakh in 2024. The state health committee has warned that stray dogs have increasingly become aggressive, posing a serious threat to public safety.