Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Nov 20 : Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, has been grappling with a rising number of animal attacks and dog bite cases. With almost every second day, reports are surfacing of individuals falling victim to dog attacks, prompting the authorities to take decisive steps in addressing this menace.
“A worrisome scenario with 4400 cases of animal bites has been recorded between April 2023 to September 2023,” officials told KNO.
In this regard, the SMC Commissioner, Athar Amir Khan as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said the dog sterilization process is undergoing at Srinagar. “We now have a world-class sterilization center in Tengpora Srinagar, and the sterilization process has been ongoing for the past three to four months. We have almost completed the sterilization process in four to five wards,” he said.
“The process is still underway, and roughly around 20 to 30 per cent of the process has been done. It is a time-consuming process, but we are on it,” he said, adding that in winter, the sterilization process has to be done at a suitable temperature, and currently, they have to keep a check on the temperature too.
He further added, “We have outsourced and also hired agencies who are professionals in doing this, having expertise for a long time.”
Likewise, the data from the Anti-rabies Clinic at SMHS Hospital reveals a worrisome scenario, with 4400 cases of animal bites recorded between April and September 2023.
“Among these cases, 30 percent are attributed to cat bites, underscoring a more extensive concern regarding animal bites within the city,” they said.
“A rough approximation indicates that the dog population in Srinagar city falls between 60,000 and 70,000, as the SMC has engaged a specialized agency for the sterilization of dogs and intends to persist in vaccinating dogs as part of its comprehensive ABC program.”—(KNO)
