Hospital patient, 6-year-old attacked by dogs

Hyderabad: There were two incidents on Friday of people being attacked by stray dogs. A person who had come to Gandhi hospital for treatment from Malkajgiri was attacked by a stray dog while he was waiting for his check up. The dog took a chunk out of his calf. In the second incident, six-year-old girl A. Swathi, a student of Alpha School at Sagar Ring Road, was attacked by a dog, inflicting deep wounds. Swathi was playing in front of her house when a stray dog pounced on her.

Till date this year, 82 dog bite cases have been reported in GHMC. It was 839 in 2014. Citizens, meanwhile, complain that the GHMC’s veterinary department is active only where the CM inspects. The city is home to more than 5 lakh stray dogs. Experts say that increasing garbage on the streets is directly proportionate to the dog population in the city. In the last four years, as per guidelines framed by the Animal Welfare Board of India, stray dogs are being caught, sterilised, vaccinated and released in the same area.

The call centre of the corporation is flooded with calls complaining of dog menace from all circles of GHMC. The worst hit areas are Kukatpally, LB Nagar, AS Rao Nagar, Nampally, Red Hills, Sainikpuri, Marredpally.

One K. Nikitha said, “I am a resident of KPHB Colony. While heading home from work at night, I find it extremely difficult to walk the lanes as they are packed with stray dogs.” Divyak Kumar of Hanuman Nagar Kondapur added, “It is tough for us to travel alone especially during nights and people can hardly sleep because of the loud barking.”  The GHMC call center receives five complaints of dog menace daily. Authorities, however, say that dog bite cases have come down in the city when compared to the last four years.  They have appealed to citizens to inform on the call center number 155304 to report dog menace.