Mumbai: 1,000-dog Mulund shelter planned to house strays
MUMBAI: Following the Supreme Court's Nov 7 directive ordering all states and Union territories to remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, depots and railway stations, BMC has drafted a detailed action plan to comply with the order.
In a meeting held earlier this week which was headed by additional municipal commissioner Dr Ashwini Joshi, ward officers or assistant municipal commissioners have been instructed to write to all such institutions, directing them to secure and fence their premises so that strays cannot enter from outside. Officials said the responsibility of creating a physical barrier lies with the premises, and BMC will step in to remove stray dogs only after the area is properly fenced.
"Each institution will also be required to appoint a nodal officer, whose name and phone number must be displayed prominently on a board at the entrance. The nodal officer will serve as the point person for coordinating with BMC on stray dog-related complaints and ensuring the premises remain compliant with the court's order," said Dr Kaleem Pasha Pathan, general manager at Deonar abattoir that also looks into the issue of stray animals. He said that apart from preparing themselves for increased enforcement, BMC is simultaneously working to strengthen its own infrastructure.
The civic body plans to expand its Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres -- facilities that also function as temporary shelters for stray dogs. A major component of this scale-up is a proposed 1,000-dog-capacity centre in Mulund. "This is proposed near the old pumping station. An ABC centre was already present there," he said.
BMC has nine ABC centres: one each in Mahalaxmi, Deonar and Sewri, and two each in Parel, Mulund and Malad. "But these cannot be called dog shelters because strays are not permanently lodged there. Therefore we are looking at setting up the 1,000 capacity Mulund shelter," said Pathan. Each shelter will need animal handlers, veterinarians and support staff.
Former Goregaon corporator Sandeep Patel said the stray dog population in housing societies is a serious concern, citing that residents of the 35-storey Ekta Tripolis approached him after strays on their premises rose to around 80.
Activists are sceptical. Vijay Rangare, former president of People for Animals, Maharashtra, said BMC must clearly document and disclose where strays will be taken. "Our fear is that dogs may be removed and abandoned in places like Aarey forest or similar locations, as the BMC currently doesn't have adequate space to house so many strays. Existing ABC centres only pick up dogs for short-term procedures -- they have never been equipped to keep them on a permanent basis."
In a meeting held earlier this week which was headed by additional municipal commissioner Dr Ashwini Joshi, ward officers or assistant municipal commissioners have been instructed to write to all such institutions, directing them to secure and fence their premises so that strays cannot enter from outside. Officials said the responsibility of creating a physical barrier lies with the premises, and BMC will step in to remove stray dogs only after the area is properly fenced.
"Each institution will also be required to appoint a nodal officer, whose name and phone number must be displayed prominently on a board at the entrance. The nodal officer will serve as the point person for coordinating with BMC on stray dog-related complaints and ensuring the premises remain compliant with the court's order," said Dr Kaleem Pasha Pathan, general manager at Deonar abattoir that also looks into the issue of stray animals. He said that apart from preparing themselves for increased enforcement, BMC is simultaneously working to strengthen its own infrastructure.
The civic body plans to expand its Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres -- facilities that also function as temporary shelters for stray dogs. A major component of this scale-up is a proposed 1,000-dog-capacity centre in Mulund. "This is proposed near the old pumping station. An ABC centre was already present there," he said.
BMC has nine ABC centres: one each in Mahalaxmi, Deonar and Sewri, and two each in Parel, Mulund and Malad. "But these cannot be called dog shelters because strays are not permanently lodged there. Therefore we are looking at setting up the 1,000 capacity Mulund shelter," said Pathan. Each shelter will need animal handlers, veterinarians and support staff.
Former Goregaon corporator Sandeep Patel said the stray dog population in housing societies is a serious concern, citing that residents of the 35-storey Ekta Tripolis approached him after strays on their premises rose to around 80.
Activists are sceptical. Vijay Rangare, former president of People for Animals, Maharashtra, said BMC must clearly document and disclose where strays will be taken. "Our fear is that dogs may be removed and abandoned in places like Aarey forest or similar locations, as the BMC currently doesn't have adequate space to house so many strays. Existing ABC centres only pick up dogs for short-term procedures -- they have never been equipped to keep them on a permanent basis."
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