Karimkulam panchayats fail to cull dogs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Karimkulam panchayat claims it has written to centre and state for assistance to cull dogs after a resident Silvamma, 65, was mauled to death by a pack of 50 dogs on Chembakaraman beach the other day.

Ironically, Karimkulam, like any other panchayat in capital had never taken any initiative to start ABC programme in spite of funds available for this. All hints of dog menace going out of proportion were overlooked while utilising planned funds.

“Every panchayat has full-fledged veterinary hospitals with doctors as rural households have more domestic animals. However, no panchayat created a system to employ dog catchers or hire vans to conduct ABC in coordination with these hospitals,” says Anand Jayan a Congress district panchayat member.

Funds are available for all panchayats to start ABC programmes in association with animal husbandry officials, said Shailaja Beegum, the district panchayat vice-president and a CPM leader.

“No panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram has effective ABC programmes. There are rare good examples in North Kerala,” she said.

Ernakulam district panchayat had pumped in Rs 3.5 crore to spay, neuter and vaccinate 50,000 dogs in 2015 in places where village panchayats showed initiative. Similar efforts were taken in Kasargod also.

“During September 2015, two rounds of meetings were held to chalk out plans for ABC programme in rural Thiruvananthapuram. District Planning Committee  with collector as convenor and District panchayat president as its chairman never worked out a solution after recent panchayat election,” points out Mr Jayan.

Local Self Government  minister KT Jaleel has promised to fan out special funds and organise a high-level meeting to implement ABC in state after the incident, officials said. The present interim orders by high court allow only rabid and diseased dogs to be killed whereas violent dogs can only be isolated.