Come night there is no street or road in Jammu City without stray animals especially cows, buffaloes and dogs moving in packs. The very presence of these canines gives nightmares for road users especially two-wheeler users and walkers. With the apathetic attitude of the authorities, the menace has assumed alarming proportion. Blame it on the residents who leave left-over outside their gates which is an allurement for these animals. Failing to control the growth of canine population there is fear of increasing attacks and dog-bite related incidents besides accidents when they chase vehicles. Even the much publicised sterilisation programme is not being followed. Very rare one will find civic authorities clearing the roads of menace. What to talk of cleanliness most of the garbage collection bins are on the road side and people instead of throwing the domestic waste they dump it in the open which is a fertile ground for these dogs to scavenge out of it. The fact is that JMC, the nodal agency for carrying out civic cleanliness, does not have the exact estimate on the number of stray dogs in the city but are sure that their population is rising by the day. Though the municipality has started sterilising stray dogs as it cannot kill or castrate them the worst is they have no space to provide shelter to strays it can catch. The case of dog bites too have increased in the city. The vulnerable target is the school going children, women and lone elders who may be taking a morning or late hour walk. It is the duty and responsibility of the municipal authority to control and contain the stray dogs within the municipal limits. Mere sterilisation of stray dogs is not enough. Other preventive measures should be taken with making anti-rabies vaccine available at all hospitals and health centres obligatory. The government should take certain measures to contain the menace of stray dogs. And residents should be made accountable for leaving left-over on roadsides. A penalty clause should be introduced by the municipality so that littering of eatables and dog poop in the lanes can be checked by penalising the household where these have been found. Some sort of strict civic action can only bring relief to the people from the menace.
