In Vasai, 10 stray dog bites daily!

The escalating number of dog bite cases in Vasai taluka has become a significant cause for concern among local residents who are living in fear of dog attacks in the streets Despite civic officials claiming to conduct dog sterilisation programmes the dog population continues to growIn Vasai taluka which encompasses Vasai Nalasopara and Virar there are a total of eight Primary Healthcare Centres PHCs operated by zila parishad These PHCs have reported a total of 2422 dog bite cases since April The hotspot for these cases is Arnala in Virar West where numerous stray dogs freely roam near the seasideOn average each PHC witnesses at least 10 dog bite cases daily in Vasai taluka A medical officer at Agashi PHC in Virar stated ldquoWe have been prompt in providing treatment to the victims The dogs are so aggressive that they can severely injure their victims primarily children and the elderly who become panicked instantlyrdquoA senior doctor from Palghar zila parishad speaking anonymously said ldquoIt is the municipal corporationrsquos responsibility to control the dog population through sterilisation programs but there is a severe lack of infrastructure and will to eliminate the dog menacerdquoA total of 2454 stray dogs have been sterilised between June and September say officials PicHanif PatelA senior doctor said ldquoVasai taluka has a mix of urban and rural populations While the PHCs are primarily meant for urban areas we have been accommodating patients from urban setups as we cannot refuse those in need of urgent medical attentionrdquoldquoNumerous times we have raised this issue with the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation to provide facilities for treating dog bite cases but no action has been taken Patients come to our PHCs because they claim that civicrun hospitals lack the necessary medicines to treat dog bite casesrdquo said another senior doctorA senior civic official claimed ldquoWe have been conducting a sterilisation program for stray dogs in Vasai Virar and Nalasopara A total of 2454 stray dogs have been sterilised between June and Septemberrdquo said Dr Charushila Pandit deputy municipal commissioner in VVCMCHowever a local resident of Vasai Praveen Nalawade expressed scepticism saying ldquoI wonder how dog bite cases continue to rise when 2454 dogs have been sterilised This data appears to be inaccurate as we face the dog menace every day Irsquom afraid to let my children play in the field due to the increasing dog bite casesrdquoNineteenyearold college student Sneha Mia said ldquoI was bitten by dogs as a child and a few months ago stray dogs bit me again Irsquom very scared these days as packs of dogs wait for humans in the middle of the roadrdquoldquoI have to attend college in Bandra so I leave early in the morning However I canrsquot go out alone because the dogs chase you relentlessly I have to wait for passerby to help me cross the roadrdquo she addedMia who works in a private firm after college also faces challenges during her late evening and nighttime commute ldquoWhen I return home the dogs chase me again The government must take action to address this problemrdquo she addedMany others have shared their concerns about going out alone especially during mornings and evenings Social activist Atul Mote described the situation saying ldquoIt gets worse late at night when packs of dogs chase your scooter and you suddenly feel terrified on the road These dogs literally chase and bark at you Itrsquos scaryrdquoThere are a total of ten veterinary dispensaries VDs in Vasai taluka run by zila parishad However these dispensaries are severely understaffed and primarily meant for livestock said a sourceAn officer said ldquoThe veterinary dispensaries are located in Nirmal Agashi Kaman Umela Shivan Sai Saiwan Bhatane Chandansar Sasunavghar and Pelhar But these VDs are specifically meant for livestock like cows buffaloes chickens etcrdquoDr Nakul Korade the Livestock Development Officer of Vasai taluka expressed concern about the increasing dog bite cases and the growing stray dog population He said ldquoThe community is witnessing a worrying rise in dog bite incidents necessitating urgent intervention The surge in dog bites is directly linked to the increasing population of stray dogs in the area This issue not only threatens public safety but also raises concerns about animal welfare and the need for a comprehensive policyrdquoHe added ldquoA wellstructured and humane approach is needed to address this issue A comprehensive animal welfare policy is being developed aiming to balance public safety and the wellbeing of stray dogs This policy developed in collaboration with local authorities and municipal bodies places particular emphasis on the role of local bodies in sterilisation and vaccination campaignsrdquoDr Korade said ldquoSterilisation is the need of the hour to control the dog population Zila parishad is currently conducting one of the first Animal Birth Control programs with the help of an NGO Itrsquos one of the first attempts by zila parishad and it will soon begin on a trial basisrdquoDr Yojana Jadhav Taluka Medical Officer TMO in Vasai stressed the importance of sterilisation vaccination and the need for facilities like dog homes ldquoRegular health checkups for stray dogs are equally essentialrdquo she notedWhen asked why the number of stray dogs continues to rise despite VVCMCrsquos sterilisation program DMC Pandit explained ldquoWe have only one centre and the number of dogs is enormous We are actively seeking locations for additional centresrdquoMumbai annually witness around 65000 dog attacks A Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale has also written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner IS Chahal regarding the dog menace in the city urging him to form an action plan2454No of stray dogs sterilised between June and September