J&K govt directs Urban Local Bodies to secure schools, hospitals from stray dogs

Jammu, Dec 11 The Jammu and Kashmir Housing and Urban Development Department directed all urban local bodies to map schools, hospitals, stadiums and transport hubs within two weeks and secure them from the entry of stray dogs.

A circular said that mandatory three-monthly inspections and humane ABC-based removal of stray dogs from these places have also been ordered, along with a 30-day compliance report.

Commissioner-Secretary of the Department issued the circular directing all ULBs across the Union Territory to immediately implement a series of measures mandated by the Supreme Court for effective management of stray dogs in institutional areas.

The circular mandates a two-week exercise to identify all government and private institutions, including schools, colleges, hospitals, stadiums, bus stands, ISBTs and railway stations.

The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been asked to classify all high-risk areas, particularly those frequented by children.

“All urban local bodies, in coordination with the district magistrates concerned, shall, within a period of two weeks from the issuance of this circular, complete the identification of all government and private institutions falling within their territorial limits,” the circular said.

Stray dog bites have become a major problem in the Kashmir Valley. Doctors at the SMHS hospital in Srinagar said so far this year, more than 240 cases of dog bites have been treated.

The situation is no better in other cities and towns of the Valley, where mostly children and elderly people become victims of stray dogs.

A newfound craze among locals to keep cats as pets has also resulted in cat bites that need immediate treatment and can otherwise cause rabies in the victim.

Doctors have been regularly advising people to vaccinate their pet dogs against rabies so that these domestic pets don’t become carriers of the fatal rabies disease.

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