When it comes to the end, it’s a dog’s life

However, he wants to balance killing with the ongoing sterilisation programme. At a special committee meeting he suggested rounding up the strays and letting them loose at the Borivli National Park as prey for the wild animals. But the idea was summarily struck down by the other members.

With the launch of sterilisation programme in January 1994, the BMC handed over its two kennels at Mahalaxmi and Malad to the NGOs and cut down its dog control staff strength. The room where the dogs were electrocuted at Mahalakshmi was converted to a `recovery’ room for the dogs.Meanwhile, the stray dog population is estimated to have doubled or even tripled since the killings have stopped. Though no census has ever been attempted, the stray dogs in Mumbai are expected to be close to two lakh, civic sources said.

Earlier, when strays were cruelly electrocuted, between 25,000 to 30,000 were killed per year.There has also been an increase in the number of complaints of stray dog nuisance from citizens, say dog control officers.

The Mahalakshmi office receives an average of 15 complaints daily, said dog control officer, V V Kuriakost. The situation is worse in the western suburbs, he added.On the role of voluntary groups, But N W Alimchandani, trustee of the Welfare of Stray Dogs, which operates in the city area pointed out that shortage of funds is a big hurdle. “The Government gives us only Rs 2 lakh per year, while we spend Rs 400 per dog and sterilise about 150 dogs in a month. No doubt it is a slow movement,” he admits adding that if more groups come forward, “output will increase.”He proposes to offer a package deal for the authorities to stabilise the dog population “if the government gives me money.’ “After the killings have been stopped, the government saves over Rs 80 lakh per year,” he added.

The municipal commissioner said under the provisions of the BMC Act allows the corporation to start the killing programme once more. “It is obligatory for the Civic body to control the stray dog menace,” he says. At the next meeting of the civic group leaders, he is planning to raise the issue and ask for suggestions.