MARGAO
Inking a fresh MoU with a NGO to execute the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme is a question staring at the Margao Municipal Council.
The civic body, however, faces an equally important question “ has the Margao Municipality any plans to tone up the ABC infrastructure, including increasing the cages at the dog shelter to house the strays; procure a new dog catching van and put a system in place with a dedicated contact number to facilitate citizens to contact the NGO for assistance?
Well, even as the stray dog population has not shown any decline over the years, the number of cages has not gone up at the dog shelter run by the NGO on behalf of the civic body. For, the MMC had defaulted in not only increasing the number of cages at the dog shelter, but the civic body also failed in providing alternate land to set up a spacious dog shelter to cater to the growing requirements.
Sources in the know informed that the MMC even did not replace the ageing dog catching van, which was prone to frequent breakdowns in recent months, forcing the NGO to transport the strays in private vehicles to the dog shelter.
Above all, sources said common citizens found it difficult to contact the NGO in emergency situations when dogs strayed in housing localities. For, the MMC had never bothered to put in place a dedicated phone number for the citizen to contact either the sanitary section or the NGO in times of emergencies.
“We only hope the MMC will try and find answers to these questions when it inks a fresh MoU with an NGO to implement the ABC programme. The Margao Municipal councillors and babus should understand that tackling the strays issue or the implementation of the ABC programme falls in the domain of the civic body and a MoU with a NGO does not absolve the civic body of its prime duty in handling strays,” remarked a citizen.
