On a standstill for over a year, stray dog sterilisation to finally start in Chandigarh on June 25
After failing to attract firms to undertake the dog sterilisation drive despite multiple tenders, Chandigarh MC has finally handed the task to Compassion for Animal Welfare Association, an NGO
Long tormented by the stray dog menace, the city residents will soon get some relief as the stray dog sterilisation drive, stalled since 2021, finally gets going from June 25.
After failing to attract firms to undertake the dog sterilisation drive despite multiple tenders, the Chandigarh municipal corporation has finally handed the task to Compassion for Animal Welfare Association (CAWA), an NGO.
The NGO will be paid ₹1,700 per dog for catching, sterilising, deworming and providing post-operative care, and has to sterilise a minimum of 150 dogs per month.
The work is cut out for the NGO, as in the last census conducted in Chandigarh in 2019, the number of stray dogs stood at 12,900, 64% higher than 7,847 in 2012.
Stern terms
With the stray dog population rising even after successive sterilisation drives over the years, MC, this time around, has put in place stringent conditions in the contract to verify the sterilisation claims of the contractor.
MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “Performance with proof will be monitored through a mobile application. A geotagged picture of each dog will be taken at the time of picking it up as well as dropping it off after sterilisation.”
Focus will be on sterilising more female dogs, as it will ensure that the entire pack cannot procreate even if some male dogs are left out.
“In the contract, we have also stipulated manpower requirements with qualifications, as it is important to have capable staff in terms of veterinary assistants and pharmacists,” said Mitra.
“With an eye on better monitoring of the drive, the schedule will be area-based so that one area is completely covered before moving forward,” she added.
Infrastructure upgrade
To support the drive with required infrastructure, MC will be placing orders for two dog-catching units, as the existing ones have outlived their utility. MC is also already renovating the animal care centre in Sector 38 West.
All 110 kennels as well as operation theatres at the centre will be covered under CCTV coverage to ensure that the dogs are well cared for. The camera feed will be monitored by a control room at the integrated command and control centre (ICCC).
Also, from January next year, MC’s animal care centre at Raipur Kalan, with separate dog catching units and teams, is expected to become fully functional. It is equipped with 310 kennels that will help increase the number of dogs being sterilised to around 1,500 a month.