Rajhmundary, May 19: The Municipal Corporation of Rajahmundry (MCR) and Blue Cross Society (BCS) have indulged in a blame game over the increase in stray dog menace and rabies deaths.
The MCR has not taken any major initiative to control the population of dogs since 2005. Consequently, the dog population in the city has increased to 10,000.
In 2002, the BCS filed a case in the High Court against killing of stray dogs by the MCR terming it a violation of animal rights.
In response to the BCS petition, the court stayed killing of stray dogs.
In 2004, the MCR filed a counter petition in the court saying that it was not killing the stray dogs and underlined the need to control its population through sterilisation.
Responding to the MCR counter petition, the court vacated the stay order in 2005. But the MCR failed to sterilise the stray dogs.
Meanwhile, the MCR gave a contract to an NGO for administration of anti-rabies vaccine to stray dogs, which led to a controversy.
In the wake of rabies deaths in city, the MCR launched a massive drive to administer anti-rabies vaccine to stray dogs.
About 1,000 dogs have been vaccinated for the past one fortnight. But the MCR has not taken any steps to identify rabies afflicted dogs.
BCS president Dr Gangaiah and secretary M Srinivas said they filed a petition in the court in 2002 against killing of dogs by the MCR.
The court dismissed the petition in 2005 after the MCR filed a counter.
To cover up their failure in controlling the menace, the MCR officials have started blaming the BCS for the rise in dog population.
The MCR is free to sterilise stray dogs. But it failed to do so, they said.
MCR health officer Dr G Satya Dev said the corporation took up a massive drive to administer anti-rabies vaccine to stray dogs.
–Agencies