MP Government Confronts Stray Dog Menace Amid Veterinary Doctor Shortage
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly's Budget session opened with a fierce debate on the escalating stray dog crisis, prompting the state government to publicly admit a critical shortage of veterinary doctors is impeding population control efforts.
Minister's Admission and Sterilization Efforts
Urban Administration Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya addressed the House on Tuesday, responding to a call attention motion raised by Congress MLA Atif Aqueel from Bhopal (north). "We have increased the number of sterilization centers and have begun sterilizing stray dogs as per Supreme Court guidelines in every municipal corporation and municipality," Vijayvargiya stated. "But, there is a need for both NGOs and veterinary doctors. At present, there is a shortage of veterinary surgeons. We will try to increase the number of veterinary doctors and bring the dog population under control. It is our responsibility."
MLA Concerns Over Funding and Ineffectiveness
Congress MLA Atif Aqueel argued that despite an annual allocation of Rs 2 crore for sterilization in Bhopal, the dog population continues to rise unchecked, and dog bite cases remain rampant. "The number has increased threefold since 2003," Aqueel claimed, hinting at potential corruption. "The minister wanted more funds allocated for sterilization of dogs so that there could be extensive corruption." His comments drew strong reactions from BJP MLAs and the Speaker.
Congress MLA Sohanlal Valmik highlighted the human toll, asserting, "Children and elderly are the worst victims. Dogs are killing them."
Government's Multi-Departmental Approach
Minister Vijayvargiya outlined that four departments are involved in tackling the issue:
- Urban Administration
- Animal Husbandry
- Health
- Panchayat and Rural Development
"We work together to address this issue, and our additional chief secretary discussed it with all department officials and all district collectors recently," he informed the Assembly.
Health Data and Supreme Court Constraints
The minister cited a health department report indicating no dog bite deaths this year but invited specific case details for government assistance. He emphasized the challenges posed by strict Supreme Court guidelines, which mandate releasing dogs where they are intercepted, acknowledging their right to live in their habitats. "It's true that their reproductive capacity is high and we would have to increase our sterilization capacity accordingly. But the problem is that there is an extreme shortage of expert veterinary surgeons in Madhya Pradesh," Vijayvargiya reiterated.
Political Sparring and Cultural Reflections
Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel retorted to Aqueel's allegations, stating, "We can say that population of many others is also increasing. Would you like to hear that?" Vijayvargiya appealed for compassion, noting, "We had a tradition where we used to give the first bread to the cow and the last to the dog. A dog gets aggressive when it is hungry. I want to use this serious platform to tell people across the country that dogs have always been our friend, and we ourselves provoked them through our negligence."
The debate underscores a pressing public health and administrative challenge in Madhya Pradesh, with the government pledging to bolster veterinary resources while facing political scrutiny over the effectiveness of current measures.
