At a time Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital is flooded with the pellet and bullet hit victims of the ongoing turmoil, the stray dogs have unleashed another form of terror on people. Around 154 dog bite cases were reported at Anti-Rabies Clinic of the tertiary care hospital.
During the last 11 days, 154 dog bite cases, mostly children, from Srinagar and its immediate vicinities reported at the Anti-Rabies Clinic (ARC) of SMHS hospital, hospital sources said.
The figures once again bring Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) under scanner for its failure authorities to tackle the dog population.
The Civic body has spent crores for its dog sterilization project at Shuhama, which is almost defunct now. The data prepared by the department shows the number of dog bite cases is increasing every year.
In 2008, 3772 dog bite cases were reported, 3909 in 2009, 5790 in 2010, 3772 in 2011 and 5406 in 2012.
Similarly, 5,704 dog bite cases had been recorded in 2013, while in 2014, when floods ravaged Kashmir, only 3,701 were reported. Over 5000 dog bite cases were reported in 2015.
Despite the alarming rise in dog bite cases, the government is yet to devise a concrete policy to deal with the canine menace.
“The stray dogs never forget their instinct of attacking & biting, in whatever situations,” said a doctor.
The canine terror has taken a heavy toll on the lives of people especially children.
In 2010, a six-year old boy from Achabal Anantnag died due to rabies. In 2011, a boy namely Omar from Zaina Kadal area of Srinagar drowned in river Jhelum when a group of dogs chased him.
In September 2013, an eight-month old baby died at a hospital after she was mauled by stray dogs.
The Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) had taken strong note of killing of an infant by stray dogs at Habbak terming it as a grave human rights violation and had directed the authorities to take measures to check the canine menace. (PTK/Agencies)