Sector 21 reports dog menace, damaged pathways to mayor

CHANDIGARH: The residents of Sector 21-A submitted two memorandums to mayor Davesh Moudgil here on Monday. One was about the stray-dog menace, while the other about damaged pathways of the green belt.
The mayor was told that in the past few days, cases of dog bite had increased in the pockets near the Verka milk booth, children’s park, and houses 258 to 285.The ferocious street dogs bark all night, and as a result, people cannot have a sound sleep. Since the canine population has multiplied, people want these streets dogs to be sterilised, relocated, or given up for adoption. Senior citizens cannot go for walks because of the fear of getting bitten by these packs. They cannot also sleep well through night, and it has been affecting their health.
Through the mayor, the residents requested the civic authorities to ensure the sterilisation of all the street dogs in the area to put brakes on their population. They have suggested the making of a dog pound on the pattern of an earmarked area for confining the cows that are picked off the streets. They have also asked for a general policy about the rehabilitation of these dogs after sterilisation. “People who are concerned about the street dogs could go to these marked places to feed the packs. They shouldn’t feed them on the streets,” said a resident.
Another issue raised in the memorandums was about the deteriorating condition of the pathways in the green belt and children’s park near the Verka milk booth. This park is frequented by joggers, children, and senior citizens. They do brisk walking, running, and even exercise on these tracks in the morning and evening and so run the risk of injuring themselves. The pathways are ill maintained, even though the municipal corporation spends money on maintenance every month.
The residents called for urgent repair of the pathways, since many slabs have wide gaps and some have even cracked. Many senior citizens have fallen over this uneven surface and got injured. “The path should be widened,” said a resident. Most of the lights along the pathways are non-functional. Park users find it difficult to come over for a stroll in the early and late hours. They feel unsafe and scared.
Residents want two additional floodlights installed at the park to help check the growing incidents of eve-teasing and chain-snatching.