Harish Rao slams government for failing to address dog menace

BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao said on Saturday attacks from stray dogs were on the rise in the absence of minimum measures to address the problem.

Hyderabad: Coming down heavily on the State government for failing to address the stray dog menace, BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao said on Saturday attacks from stray dogs were on the rise in the absence of minimum measures to address the problem.

The government remained unmoved even after gruesome incidents like dogs eating a just born baby on the premises of the Warangal MGM hospital.

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In another incident, a disabled child was mauled by dogs in Narsingi municipality in the suburbs of Hyderabad. Similarly, a four-year-old girl had succumbed to injuries she suffered in a dog attack in Ibrahimpatnam of Rangareddy district.

Deploring the non-serious stance of the government on the management of stray dogs, he said the government had had taken such dog attacks on children resulting in the death of the victims as a common feature in the State.

Had it been serious about the issue, it would have helped in avoiding 343 cases of serious dog attacks and many deaths that were reported in the State during the last eight months.

The government recently submitted to the High Court that the State had 3,79,156 stray dogs. But the people were of the view that it would in fact be double the number. Stray dogs were out of control in almost all urban areas.

The government should ensure the menace was addressed effectively by implementing a comprehensive action plan in the State. The victims should be provided with anti-rabies vaccine in all the primary health centres and the public hospitals, he demanded.