SAMBALPUR: Five months back, panic gripped Stationpara area here after a stray bog bit a seven-year-old boy, Chotu Deep, while he was playing. Chotu fell on the ground leading to head injury.
After treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Chotu was admitted to ICU in VIMSAR, Burla and he is in the coma.
The incident shook the city and locals demanded that stray dogs be shifted to prevent such incidents in future. But the situation remains the same.
In a recent incident, a child was chased by a pack of dogs near the surgery department at District Headquarters Hospital. Fortunately, he was saved by some locals before being bitten by the canines. The whole incident was recorded on CCTV of the hospital.
In the absence of measures to check their population, dogs loiter in Government office as well as hospital premises. With the population of stray dogs rising at an alarming rate, people continue to live in fear of getting bitten by canines.
The dogs chasing pedestrians, cyclists and bikers on streets and roads have become a common sight.
While residents allege inaction by the civic body in controlling the menace, the fact is the municipal corporation is struggling with lack of amenities and cooperation among staff
.Ever since the animal birth control programme was started in February 2015, the SMC said nearly 3,000 dogs have been sterilised till 2018. Lack of shelter for these dogs is yet another problem.
While the civic body has already conveyed its concerns to the Collector, an action is yet to be taken in this regard.
Meanwhile, Chotu’s father Ramesh Deep, a daily wager, struggles to see his son smiling. Even after getting financial support from a few individuals and social organisations, Ramesh had to mortgage his assets as well as a house for son’s treatment.
Menace on streets
A 7-year-old boy, bitten by stray dogs in November 2018 is in the coma.
Last week, a kid was saved from the jaws of canines at DHH.
Dogs loitering in Government office and hospital premises, a common sight.