According to an RTI, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has spent Rs 25 crore on vaccines for more than 40,000 strays since 2009 to monitor population of stray dogs in Hyderabad.
The problem with the figure is that the same RTI that was filed by Lok Satta Party member B Sambi Reddy, also showed that the sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination drive cost Rs 5,000 per dog while the vaccine actually costs only Rs 40.
“When the Animal Birth Control programme is being done on a daily basis, why is that we find an increasing number of stray puppies on the roads? Why are the veterinary officials put on other duties like elections when more dog bite cases are being registered regularly? At night, because of the increasing dog menace, people are scared to walk even 200 metres, from the bus stop to their home. How is it that in spite of the high spending the population of dogs in the city is increasing,” Deccan Chronicle quotes Reddy as saying.
The GHMC officials, however, have defended the expenditure and claimed that there are additional costs of doctor’s fee, catcher’s fee and other labour charges.
“The expenditure that we have shown comprises purchase of vaccines, labour, vehicle and other charges. That is why the expenditure seems to be bloated,” P Venkateshwara Reddy, chief veterinary officer, veterinary wing, GHMC told The Times of India.
(With inputs from The News Minute.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)