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Sindh Ombudsman orders weekly anti-pye-dog drive

KARACHI: SIndh Ombudsman Justice Haziq-ul-Khairi (R) has directed the concerned agencies to launch weekly anti-pye-dog campaign in co-ordination with each other and with other agencies, namely KDA, district councils, union councils, CAA, cantonment boards, Site and KPT.

He has also directed them to submit their reports from time to time to the Secretariat of the Provincial Ombudsman, an official press release said on Sunday.

In response to the notices issued by the Provincial Ombudsman with regard to rise in dog bite cases in Karachi, and non-availability of anti-rabies vaccines in hospitals, the administrators of KMC and all the district municipal corporations (DMCs) had submitted their reports.

According to the statement, Administrator, DMC, South, reported that during the campaign against pye-dogs from January to September 1999, 2,908 stray dogs were killed whereas the Municipal Commissioner, DMC, West, submitted in his report that as many as 9,246 dogs were killed by his staff.

The Director, Health Services, DMC, reported that 1,000 dogs had been killed during the period from November 1998 to December 1999 and the Director of Health Services, DMC, Malir, reported that during the past three months 1,200 dogs had been killed by the DMC staff.

With a view to achieving better coordination between various agencies working on anti-pye-dogs campaign and to consider availability of anti-rabies vaccines at reasonable rates in hospitals, there was a consensus that unless a weekly blanket anti-pye-dog campaign is carried out throughout the city by all concerned agencies in a co-ordinated manner at one and the same time success in elimination of stray dogs cannot be achieved, the press release added.

Regarding non-availability of anti-rabies vaccine, the Sindh Secretary of Health has been directed to appear before the Ombudsman on January 12, 2000, and file his comments, the release further said.ÑAPP