Chandigarh, August 5, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The issue of stray dogs echoed in the during the ongoing Punjab Vidhan Sabha Monsoon session here on Monday, with AAP leaders demanding a viable solution to the problem.
After the Zero Hour, during the Call Attention Motion, AAP MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke invited attention of the House to the horror of the stray dogs in the state, which led not only Animal Husbandry Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa but also Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder to assure her of a viable solution to the problem.
Referring to official figured, Manuke informed that stray dogs had bitten 1.13 lakh people during 2018, compared to 1.12 lakh during 2017, of which 50 per cent of the victims were children. She said the figures were culled from various hospitals while the experts assert the actual figure might be bigger.
Giving details, Manuke said that, some 300 cases of dog bites were reported in the state daily. During the past two years, more than 2 lakh people had been bitten by stray dogs, stating that the number of stray dogs in the state was estimated at above 5 lakhs. In 2012, the number was 4 lakh 77 thousand. According to the information received under the RTI, in 2017, cases of dog bites were conspicuous in five districts of Punjab.
The AAP leader said the department should conduct raids on the residential areas where residents were keeping pets of all species, which posed danger to the children and the elderly in the neighborhood. A state-wide helpline should also be launched to keep a tab on the owners and initiate legal action against the defaulters. She also sought a blanket ban on the songs promoting the menace.
