DEHRADUN: Residents across the state have raised concerns about the worsening menace of stray animals in cities. Dogs, cattle, monkeys and even mules are adding to the problem which is growing instead of resolving. “It’s a common sight to see cattle casually sitting on the roads. Sometimes the cows or cattle come to the middle of the road.
This poses a severe risk for commuters. They often get into garbage dumps, creating a mess,” said Vishal Sanghvi, a resident of Dehradun. Locals claim that the strays appearing in front of the vehicles on the road sometimes cause accidents. “Monsoon is here and the city roads are not in the best of condition. Streetlights often don’t work. You add the stray menace and it is pure chaos.
We can’t just blame the government and the people who leave their cows on the roads are equally to be blamed,” said another city resident. “Dogs bark incessantly the whole night and sleep under or over the parked cars. Cattle sit in front of houses and the number of monkeys has also gone up,” said Mondreeta Sengupta, a resident of Mussoorie road who says that 12 years ago, there were hardly any strays near her house.
In Mussoorie, locals claim that a lot of stray dogs can be found roaming around the town. “During the night, they disturb our sleep by barking and also litter around our houses. Some of the strays are very aggressive and scare children and the elderly,” said Arun Khanna, a senior citizen. In Haridwar’s Shravan Nath Nagar, there were reports of a stray dog attacking over 25 people on Wednesday. “These dogs often feed on leftovers at unauthorised meat shops. But more than dogs, we have mules roaming around the city. They can be found at every crossing, in residential areas and even the ghats along the Ganga. Monkeys have also been known to get into houses,” said a resident.
Meanwhile, civic authorities across cities claim that issues arising from stray animals are under control.
The Dehradun Municipal Corporation had sterilised over 35,000 dogs till April. They claim that the sterilisation is going well.
