He said, “They could not even provide the much-required cages and had to manage with the 20 cages provided by me.”
Even when the Mission Rabies (MR) team was roped in to work on the issue, the MMC’s support was negligible. The MR team managed to sterilize over 9,000 dogs in Margao alone. Unfortunately, the memorandum of understanding signed with the NGO expired eight months ago. The MMC is neither renewing it nor is it paying the NGO its dues.
“The council could devote time for other issues, including providing ACs, but the issue of stray dogs never found a place in the council meetings. The council has not been paying the dues of Rs 25,000 per month since November 2014. However, when citizens complain about the strays, the council very conveniently asks the public to contact the NGO. If one visits the MMC’s sanitary section, the NGO’s number is prominently displayed on the wall as if to say they (MMC) are not responsible,” said Coutinho.
Coutinho also criticized the promises made by the chairperson, Margao MLA, and the government. He said, “Tall claims have been given in the past that the NGO would be provided a permanent and larger place at the animal husbandry premises in Sonsoddo. Over two years have gone now, but it continues to remain a distant dream. It’s high time the MMC and government realize that the courts of law have clearly stated that the responsibility of tackling the strays lies with the local bodies and not with NGOs.”
He added, “I demand that the council immediately sort out the issue as the population of strays is steadily increasing, putting the citizens’ lives at risk.”
Incidentally, Coutinho had set up a dog shelter with an NGO’s help at Agalli in 2009.
