'Over 64k dog bite cases in Delhi, north Delhi most affected'

New Delhi, Dec 16: Over 64,000 cases of dog bites have been reported in the national capital till November this year, with north Delhi being most affected by stray dog menace, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation recorded a total of 37,915 cases of dog bites followed by East Corporation with 24,802 and South Corporation with 1,816 cases upto November 31 this year.

New Delhi Municipal Council also reported 77 dog bite cases during this period, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in reply in Rajya Sabha.

The three municipal corporations and the Council also reported 1,823 cases of monkey bites in the same period. SDMC reported 766 cases of monkey bites, followed by NDMC with 536 cases, EDMC with 519 and the Council with 2 cases, the minister said in his written reply to questions on details of and action taken by civic authorities regarding dog and monkey bites in Delhi.

A total of 363 cases of dog and monkey bites have been reported in Delhi Cantonment general hospital during the last one year, he said. In 2014, a total of 74,750 dog bite cases and 1,540 cases of monkey bites were reported by civic agencies in the national capital.

NDMC is setting up three sterilisation centres for dogs at Udyog Nagar in association with six NGOs. The corporation has also deployed monkey catchers, the minister said.

EDMC is conducting sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs under Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rule, 2001, and about 21,671 dogs have been sterilised till October 2015.

Free vaccination facilities are also available at two Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) centres of the corporation. NDMC through Palika ABC Society conducts Anti-Rabies vaccination annually in its area.

It has also hired 40 persons who mimic Langoors' sound to scare monkeys. SDMC provides free Anti-Rabies vaccination facilities at its eight centres.

NDMC too provides free Anti-Rabies vaccination and Anti-Rabies serum to the patients of dog bites, he added.

PTI