Thane, Aug 11 (PTI ) Amid incidents of attack by stray dogs, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Tuesday announced a drive to sterilise and vaccinate such canines across the city.
As per the plan, the civic body aims to sterilise 40 to 50 dogs daily, targeting 1,500 per month and 18,000 annually, an official statement said.
Municipal Commissioner Abhinav Goyal made the announcement during a joint inspection of the Patri Pul Sterilization and Vaccination Centre on Monday, alongside Mayor Harshali Chaudhari and others.
The administrative push follows widespread criticism after a series of dog attacks in Kalyan West.
On Sunday, a stray dog bit a number of pedestrians in Kalyan, with the civic chief later
confirming 15 cases. The situation escalated on Monday morning when another stray dog injured around 10 commuters near Kalyan West railway station and a hospital.
Following these incidents, civic leaders conducted an emergency inspection of the Patri Pul facility to evaluate operations and infrastructure.
Addressing the issue, Commissioner Goyal stated that specialised teams of veterinary doctors will be deployed at the sterilization centre.
After sterilisation and vaccination at the centre, the dogs will be returned to their original localities.
The KDMC has partnered with two private non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure regular anti-rabies vaccination drives. Dedicated vehicles will remain on standby to handle reports of rabid or severely aggressive dogs.
With an estimated stray dog population of 80,000 within KDMC limits, commissioner Goyal expressed confidence that maintaining this annual target over the next 4 to 5 years will successfully bring the stray population under control. PTI COR NP
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