Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Nov 22: A Dakshina Kannada district-level committee meeting was held on Friday regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives aimed at controlling the stray dog menace.
Presiding over the meeting, deputy commissioner (DC) Darshan H instructed that a census of stray dogs under the jurisdiction of city corporation, urban local bodies, and other local administration bodies should be conducted and a report submitted. Private and government educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, railway stations, and tourist destinations falling under their limits must catch stray dogs, carry out sterilisation surgeries, and shift them to the designated dog shelter. He further instructed that measures must be taken to ensure that stray dogs do not enter the premises of these institutions in the future. He directed that a monitoring officer be appointed to oversee compliance and submit reports regularly.
Every three months, inspections must be conducted inside and outside the premises of all such institutions to ensure there are no stray dog habitats, and reports must be submitted. Nodal officers must ensure that stray dogs are not fed at public bus stations, railway stations, parks, depots, and terminals. DC instructed all taluk tahsildars and TP Executive Officers to identify suitable locations for constructing stray dog shelters.
The DC further directed officials from National Highways Authority, Public Works Department, and urban and local bodies to shift all cattle and wandering animals from highways to shelters/gaushalas.
He instructed the transport, highway, and police departments to form a highway patrol team and display helpline numbers at key locations, and link these with the control room, highway authority, and local police stations.
The DC also directed the Mangaluru City Corporation and local urban bodies to immediately fix designated time and places for feeding stray dogs. Notices must be issued to inform the public, and legal action will be taken against violators, DC Darshan H V stated.
Regarding sterilisation of stray dogs, the DC instructed all taluk panchayat executive officers to take necessary measures to sterilise at least 100 stray dogs in each taluk during the initial phase.
As an affidavit must be submitted to the Supreme Court by December 20, the DC instructed all departments to act upon the directives and submit compliance reports to the Urban Development Department (Municipal Administration) by December 15.
Committee secretary, deputy director of the animal husbandry and veterinary services department, Dr Arun Kumar Shetty N, provided information on measures to be taken by various departments as per the Supreme Court order issued on November 7 to curb stray dog menace.
The meeting was attended by ZP CEO Narvade Vinayak Kharburi, additional deputy commissioner Raju K, Mangaluru sub-divisional officer Meenakshi Arya, urban development planning director Santosh Kumar, MCC commissioner Ravichandra Nayak, and others.