The Belagavi City Corporation will take up sterilization of an estimated 22,000 stray dogs in the city. Mayor Savita Kamble has instructed officers to invite tenders for the “Catch, sterilise and release” drive.
This issue came up at a general body meeting of the city corporation here on Saturday.
Corporation council member Azim Patvegar complained that a large number of mongrels are roaming the city streets, causing great distress to people, especially children, senior citizens and women. The member also demanded payment of compensation to victims of dog bites.
Officers told the House that a survey has indicated that there are over 22,000 stray dogs in the city but only 4,831 have been sterilised till now.
Ms. Kamble asked officers to invite a tender to see that the sterilisation drive be completed in two weeks.
She also favoured the setting up of a permanent team to carry out such operations and to shift the centre from Srinagar in Belagavi to the outskirts of the city.
Corporation council members Lakshmi Rathod, Shankar Patil and Ravi Salunke also complained of the lethargic attitude of the sterilisation teams. They demanded details of sterilisation procedures carried out by the teams every day.
MLA Asif (Raju) Sait said that the issue should be addressed on priority.
