HYDERABAD: In response to the Telangana High Court’s directive, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner Amrapali Kata has filed an additional affidavit detailing the steps taken to address the stray dog menace in the city.
The development comes after the court, in a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL), directed GHMC to comply with the provisions of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, and implement effective measures to control stray dog population and dog bites.
The court on August 2, 2024, directed the GHMC to submit an affidavit regarding compliance with Rules 10, 11, 15, and 16 of the ABC Rules, 2023. The court sought clarity on several aspects, including the feasibility of setting up rehabilitation centres outside Hyderabad municipal limits, the availability of a helpline for dog bite cases, and the status of GHMC’s obligations under the ABC Rules.
In her additional affidavit, Amrapali Kata stated that the GHMC is actively implementing the Animal Birth Control-Anti Rabies (ABC-AR) Programme to control the street dog population, eliminate rabies, and reduce dog bites, in accordance with the ABC Rules. The GHMC has consulted Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs) and NGOs regarding dog behavior and their care, and also considered the financial burden of maintaining dogs in rehabilitation centres.
The affidavit provided details of GHMC’s current infrastructure, noting that there are 898 kennels and 92 cages across five Animal Care Centres. These facilities can accommodate 2,164 street dogs, conduct sterilisations on 433 dogs daily, and provide post-operative care for five days. Additionally, 49 customised dog vans with trained handlers are operating within the GHMC limits to humanely capture and transport stray dogs.
However, the affidavit highlighted public demand for relocating or permanently housing sterilised dogs in shelters, rather than returning them to their original localities after the procedure, as mandated by the ABC Rules. The GHMC argued that while relocation or permanent housing may seem like a solution, it is not practically feasible due to several factors.