Warangal: GWMC to set up one more animal birth control centre

Mayor Gundu Sudharani directed officials to take immediate steps to check the dog menace by coming up with a proper plan

Warangal: In the wake of several complaints over the increase of the dog menace under the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), the civic body is planning to set up one more animal birth control centre soon.

A street dog triggered panic in several localities on Thursday by biting 29 people, including children and elderly people. Street dogs attacked a seven-year-old boy playing outside his house in Kashibugga area in March. These are apart from several other complaints of the street dog menace for several months now.

---

In view of this, Mayor Gundu Sudharani directed officials to take immediate steps to check the dog menace by coming up with a proper plan. She held a meeting with the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Rajesh and veterinary officer Dr Gopal Rao on Saturday, and asked them to submit a proposal to set up another animal birth control centre to conduct sterilisation procedures on street dogs.

According to the officials, there are an estimated 37,000 street dogs under the GWMC limits. To check the population of dogs, the GWMC is said to be conducting nearly 600 birth control procedures on street dogs per month at the existing animal birth control centre at Chinthagattu locality. However, many citizens are demanding the GWMC to take proper steps to check the dog and monkey menace too. They are also demanding the civic body to administer anti rabies vaccine on the street dogs.

“The GWMC must set up a special care centre to treat the dogs infected by different kinds of viruses. Many street dogs were seen with skin allergies. People are doubtful about the animal birth control programme and the figures given by the GWMC,” said Santosh Manduva, the founder of Sulaksya Seva Samithi, an NGO.

Meanwhile, officials have urged the people including owners of tiffin centres, restaurants and other eateries not to throw food waste on the roadside as they are consumed by the dogs and resulting in various diseases in them. Dr Suresh Devath, a social activist, said the officials should also take steps to provide water by setting up tubs or other kinds of water points for street dogs during summer.