Dogs in Udupi now need licence

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Aug 1, 2015: Udupi City Municipal Council members irked over the stray dog menace made the council resolve to make licences mandatory for dogs, at the general body meeting held in the city July 31.

BJP councilor Dinaker Shetty Herga said that stray dogs had increased in great numbers and those that were sterilised were again dropped at the same location from where they had been picked up. This has also added to the woes.

Member Shyamparasd Kudva said the stray dog menace had intensified at railway station, where the canine population was creating problems to passengers.  In reply, an official said that second round of vaccination had been taken up and simultaneously the sterilisation process was also being carried out.

The official said that law insisted on rehabilitation of the stray dogs in the same area, from where they had been picked up for the sterilisation.

CMC president Yuvaraj said that from henceforth licence should be made mandatory for dog owners and the number of canines they own.  Member Prashant Ameen citing Chandigarh and Kerala, said the CMC should be a role model by taking up stringent measures against the dog owners and the stray dogs. 

The president alleged that some dog lovers also protected the stray dogs making it difficult to identify them.   Following the huge hue and cry, the House decided to make it mandatory for the dog owners to have a  licence.

The other issue that emerged for the discussion was the dirt and garbage in the car street. Members Ramesh Kanchan and Janardhan Bhandarkar said that flower vendors from neighbouring districts dumped all the waste in the area, making it impossible for cleaning. Kanchan said the issue should be taken seriously and the flower vendors would be fined.

He said festivals were a major draw for the vendors to come in large number to the temple town. He alleged that SHGs who took up cleaning task did not clean the area regularly.

The president said henceforth the flower and other vendors would be charged an amount which would be used for maintaining the cleanliness in the area. Members also demanded a reply on the action taken against Manipal University for violating the rules in parking zones and also illegal buildings.

The officials were instructed to take up special drive on the first three days of the week to check into the illegal constructions that are yet to be identified. The University has requested for additional days to shift the bio medical waste plant. Rs 16.34 lakh was collected as the tax in 2013-14, while Rs 27.08 lakh is collected for the year 2014-15 so far.