To facilitate faster sterilisation, KMC to develop infrastructure of its 2 existing dog pounds

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will develop infrastructure of its two existing dog pounds located at Dhapa and Entally so that they are capable of sterilising 1,000 animals on a daily basis. The decision comes in the wake of increasing dog population in the city.

"We will be having five floors at these pounds. The operation will be carried out on the ground floor which has OT facilities. The rest of the floors will be utilised so that the animals can rest after the operation. They will be in the pound for seven to 10 days and then they will be dropped at the same place from where they have been picked up. We will also recruit around 30 contractual veterinary doctors for this purpose," Mayor Firhad Hakim said on Thursday.

The sterilisation and vaccination of dogs have assumed significance after a section of the people have raised concern over their rising population. 16 puppies were allegedly beaten to death at NRS Hospital recently.

The Mayor held a meeting with Director General (Civil) and Director General (Health) on Wednesday and gave necessary instructions to fast track the process of facelift of its two existing dog pounds. "The dog population in the city is presently 1.5 lakh and it is an area of grave concern for the state government," Hakim added.

He added that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been prepared and it will take another two to three months for developing the infrastructure.

A senior official of the KMC's Health department said presently only 25 dogs can be sterilised in a day.

Hakim assured that funds will not be a constraint for the exercise and maintained that the state government has already allocated Rs 3 crore for it.