Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday directed a focused, coordinated and humane response to Srinagar’s stray dog menace, instructing concerned government departments and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to treat the issue as a top priority and deliver visible results on the ground. The directive came as Abdullah chaired a review meeting at his office, where he described the growing stray dog population as a major concern affecting the daily lives and sense of security of Srinagar residents.
The Chief Minister pointed to the success of Animal Birth Control measures in Jammu, where sterilisation coverage has reached around 80 percent, and questioned why comparable progress had not been achieved in Kashmir despite both regions falling under the same administration. He said the model that has worked in Jammu should be replicated in Srinagar without further delay, framing it as proof that the goal was achievable with the right coordination and resources.
Abdullah sought a clear assessment of the veterinary surgeons, paravets and support staff required across Kashmir division to scale up sterilisation efforts, assuring full government backing for whatever additional manpower and resources are needed. He directed immediate engagement of staff and action on the ground rather than further deliberation.
The meeting also addressed the link between garbage accumulation and the stray dog problem, with the Chief Minister directing concerned agencies to ensure quick disposal of waste dumps and urging both the Srinagar and Jammu Municipal Corporations to maintain timely garbage collection within their jurisdictions, noting that roadside food waste was a significant contributor to the issue.
Abdullah ordered the constitution of a dedicated mission-mode team within the SMC tasked with increasing the number of trained dog catchers, scaling up sterilisation operations and strengthening the availability of veterinary doctors and trained personnel. He stressed that all measures must remain humane and follow established procedures even as they work toward effective population control, and called for stronger coordination between the Housing and Urban Development Department, the Health and Medical Education Department, the SMC and other stakeholders to ensure the response translates into measurable improvement on the ground. He said the eventual goal was a sustainable mechanism to manage the stray dog issue not just in Srinagar but across Jammu and Kashmir.
The review meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education M. Raju, the Commissioner Secretary Education, the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, the Inspector General of Police Jammu Zone, and the Municipal Commissioners of Srinagar and Jammu, among other senior officers, with Jammu-based officials joining through video conference.
