PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Dog feeding points set up by the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) in February to facilitate the feeding of stray dogs are not in a good condition within just three months of being established, prompting residents to question their upkeep and monitoring at the ward level.
Local resident Deepak Rana said that several of these designated feeding points are now surrounded by overgrown grass, scattered garbage and stagnant muddy patches. The signboards installed at the sites have also been defaced with dirt and pan stains, raising concerns about the maintenance of the facilities created under the initiative. Rana said that the purpose of setting up dedicated feeding locations for stray dogs is being defeated as the sites remain neglected and unused in many areas.
Locals also alleged that some street vendors have begun tying their carts to the structures using chains, further damaging the installations and limiting their intended use. Karan Kumar, who runs a cart near one such site, said that the feeding point remains unused as no food is placed there regularly and the surrounding area remains unclean. He added that the presence of overgrown grass and muddy water discourages people from feeding stray dogs at the location.
Residents questioned whether the feeding points are being created without adequate follow-up monitoring and maintenance after installation. Responding to the concerns, MCD senior veterinary officer Dr Varun Aggarwal said that the responsibility for maintaining the feeding points has been assigned to ward supervisors. He said that the directions will be issued to ensure regular cleaning and upkeep of the sites in the wards. He added that ward supervisors will also be asked to upload GPS-tagged photographs of feeding points as part of monitoring measures to improve maintenance of the facilities across the city.
