PANAJI
The State government has decided to convene a meeting with all stakeholders including opposition legislators, after the assembly session on August 7, to gather inputs for drafting a policy to tackle the stray dog menace and strengthen the currently ineffective sterilization camps.
A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced plans to formulate a policy to control the problem, Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai on Thursday stated the policy already exists and demanded the suspension of the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services for providing incorrect information to the Assembly.
Government sources told The Goan that while a policy is in place; it pertains to ‘feeding stray dogs’ and not about controlling their population. “The policy on feeding stray dogs is already in place wherein NGOs, local bodies and volunteers are enrolled and availing related schemes. Detailed guidelines are also outlined in the policy,” the source explained.
"CM is expected to schedule a first meeting soon after the assembly session ends on August 7 to get initial inputs on drafting the policy," the source added.
The proposed policy will focus on controlling the stray dog population, tackling the growing menace and ensuring the department's currently ineffective sterilization camps are strengthened.
“The camps are a failure due to irregular scheduling. When camps are held for 10-15 days there is a gap of about six months or beyond. During this period, the population of these stray dogs increases and various factors including the non-availability of food make them aggressive. The proposed policy will address this aspect as well,” the source added.
The Calling Attention raised by BJP MLA Sankalp Amonkar saw support from legislators cutting across party lines who raised concern about the growing population of stray dogs who have been posing a threat to locals and tourists in public places.
