Maharashtra launches statewide sterilisation push to tackle stray dog menace

Mumbai, July 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Confronting the rapidly rising stray dog menace across Maharashtra, the state government has launched a comprehensive statewide intervention. All urban and rural local bodies have been directed to strictly enforce sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination protocols in full alignment with the Central Government’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, and directives issued by the Supreme Court.

The announcement was made by Industries Minister Uday Samant during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly. The issue was brought to the floor through a question raised by MLA Arjun Khotkar regarding the escalating safety risks posed by stray dogs. Other members, including Amin Patel, Sneha Dubey, Namita Mundada and Sana Malik, participated in the high-decibel debate.

Minister Samant presented official baseline census data detailing the scale of the stray canine population and the current pace of the civic response. He said that there are 14.8 lakh stray dogs in the state, of which 94,000 are in Mumbai alone. This year, 65,000 stray dogs have been neutered or sterilised across Maharashtra, while 97,960 stray dogs have been administered anti-rabies vaccines. Underscoring the urgency of the situation, the minister highlighted a worrying surge in dog-bite injuries.

In Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) district alone, 7,230 dog-bite cases were recorded between January and February 2026. This marks an alarming increase of 463 cases compared to the corresponding period last year.

To humanely and effectively mitigate the crisis, the minister outlined a multi-pronged roadmap focusing on dedicated infrastructure, specialised municipal wings and hospital safety measures. The government has pledged to establish dedicated stray dog shelters in Mumbai within the next six months. The Revenue Department has already been formally requested to allocate land parcels at three designated sites. Nearly 3,000 square feet of land has been sought at Mulund and Malad each, while at Nahur, a larger parcel measuring 8,411 square feet has been identified.

In compliance with the Supreme Court's recommendations, five major municipal corporations in the state's premier urban centres have resolved to establish independent, standalone Animal Birth Control Departments. These dedicated wings will operate in Mumbai, Pune, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nashik, the minister said.

Responding to specific complaints about stray dogs compromising public healthcare facilities, Minister Samant confirmed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed specialised animal control teams to clear the premises of Dr R N Cooper Hospital. Regular sterilisation and rabies vaccination drives are being carried out in and around the hospital precincts to safeguard patients, visitors and medical staff.

Minister Samant highlighted successful localised campaigns to demonstrate that coordinated execution yields tangible results. For instance, the Jalna Municipal Corporation appointed a specialised external agency to helm its local ABC programme. Despite infrastructural and logistical delays during the initial setup phase, the agency sterilised and vaccinated 2,245 stray dogs within 320 days of commencing operations.

To eliminate overlapping jurisdictions, the state has clearly demarcated operational responsibilities through definitive government resolutions (GRs) and official circulars. The Urban Development Department issued execution orders on March 20, 2025, followed by operational circulars to all municipal bodies on November 24, 2025. The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department issued parallel directives to gram panchayats on November 26 and 27, 2025.

To maintain cohesive progress and ensure a coordinated presentation before the apex court, the Department of Animal Husbandry has been designated as the central coordinating authority responsible for synchronising operations across all state and local government bodies, the minister said.

Source: IANS