Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 5: As the cases of dog bites witness an increase in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, the anti-Rabies Clinic at Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SHMS) Hospital has logged over 350 dog bite cases in just three weeks.
As per details made available by the clinic, it has received nearly 357 cases of dog bites which included 140 cases of category second dog bites and 217 cases of category third dog bites from April 1 to April 20.
On the other hand, officials said that from March 1 to April 20-which are just 4 weeks-the total count of the dog bite cases has been recorded as 539, which they said is a steep increase in Srinagar and needs immediate intervention by the authorities.
It is to be noted here that Srinagar has reported several such incidents in the last few weeks wherein stray dogs attacked people and ended up injuring them even at Dalgate, in a similar incident, nearly 40 people, which included many tourists as well, were bitten by the dogs.
The increase in the stray dog menace has infused a sense of fear among people who are now afraid of stepping out of their homes in various areas of Srinagar.
“The children are at risk as well as the adults; the concerned authorities seem to be in slumber as there is no end to the menace; the number of dogs has drastically increased in Srinagar,” Rafiq Ahmad, a resident said.
However, on the other side, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation seems to be doing less where the officials said that they are continuing with the sterilization program to curb the stray dog menace in the city, but the residents said that they are not witnessing any change on the ground.
“The only recommended sterilization program is currently on in the city, and, in this regard, we are expecting some positive developments in next some time,” SMC’s Veterinary Officer Dr Tawheed Ahmad told Excelsior.
On the incident which happened at Dalgate, he said there were rabid dogs involved there and that the necessary action has been taken in that regard.
It is to be noted here that the SMC has been planning of establishing two sterilization units, one at Tengpora and another at Shuhama.
However, so far there has not been any headway in that direction; while SMC officials claim that the necessary work at the sterilization unit in Tengpora is in the last stage of completion. “At Tengpora, we are carrying out the necessary finishing touches, it shall be done with soon,” Dr Tawheed said.
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