The Times of India 08.12.2010
‘Puppies negate BMC’s sterilization claims’
MUMBAI: Even as the BMC claims that the dog sterilization drive in the city is being carried out successfully, activists and corporators think otherwise. Latest details furbished by the BMC’s health department show that till October this year, roughly 30,000 dogs were sterilized. Activists, though, say that the drive is nullified, for puppies are still seen on the streets.
The figures were made available last week when a Congress corporator inquired about the success rate of the sterilization drive at the general body meeting. “The civic body shows us on paper that the drive is being carried out successfully. But we can still see puppies on the roads. There has not even been a recent census for us to know how successful the drive really is,” said corporator Rajendra Choube.
According to the data, the BMC sterilized as many as 33,021 dogs in 2008 and 36,990 in 2009. From January 1 to October 31, the civic body managed to sterilize 29,946 dogs. The dog census of 2007 pegged the number of stray dogs in the city at 74,926. According to the census, there were 26,900 pet dogs. The civic body had stopped the killing of stray dogs in 1994 in accordance with high court orders. The civic body started sterilisation with the help of various NGOs from 1998. There are nine dog sterilization centres in the city. Civic officials said the BMC has spent Rs 2,67,90,444 in 2008-09 and Rs 2,54,55,873 in 2009-10.
But activists take the success rate of the drive with a pinch of salt. “In Chembur, where I live, there are new additions to dogs on a regular basis,” said Deepa Kathyal, of International Animal Rescue.
