Indore, Indore, the country’s cleanest city, has been witnessing an unforeseen outcome of its quest to remain spotless, as around 2.5 lakh stray dogs in the city are facing a food crisis, which the experts believe is the reason for their aggression.

The local administration is preparing for its biggest-ever canine sterilisation campaign amid increasing incidents of attacks by stray dogs.

Officials on Tuesday said the administration has decided to run a six-month campaign to sterilise stray dogs in the city so that their numbers can be controlled.

Talking to PTI, Dr Uttam Yadav, the in-charge of the Animal Birth Control programme at the Indore Municipal Corporation , said, “Generally 30 to 35 stray dogs are sterilised every day in the city. We have set a target to increase this number to 90. Human resources and other facilities are being increased.”

Yadav admitted that stray dogs in the city were becoming irritable and aggressive because of hunger.

He said, “A few years ago, garbage would be piled up at different places, and there were large garbage bins in the city. Stray dogs would rummage through them for food. But now, municipal vehicles collect waste from every house and establishment, and food is not easily available for strays.”

The official said stray dogs keep wandering into other areas in search of food, have violent conflicts with other dogs, and end up attacking humans.

He pointed out that the local administration had arranged for food for strays during the COVID-19 lockdown, but there is no such arrangement in the city now.

“We have authorised some NGOs and animal lovers to distribute food to stray dogs and distributed feeder cards to them to ensure these animals get food and their irritability due to hunger is reduced,” Yadav said.

He said there are about 2.5 lakh stray dogs in the city.

Priyanshu Jain, president of the Indore unit of “People for Animals”, said the crisis of food and drinking water for stray dogs increases in summer.

He said, “Feeding stray dogs in the city is not easy. Many people fight with animal lovers about strays being fed in front of their homes.” Jain said his organisation has suggested to the municipal corporation that regular arrangements for food and water should be made for stray dogs at 50 identified places in the city.

“Some people deliberately hurt stray dogs and even kill them. Dogs also become aggressive because of this. We have so far registered about 160 FIRs regarding violent behaviour of people with stray dogs in the city,” he said.

Indore has topped the National Cleanliness Survey for seven consecutive times. The city is in the race for the “Super Swachh League” in the ongoing Swachhta Survey of 2024. This league has been introduced for the first time as a separate competition between the cities performing excellently in cleanliness.

In the “Super Swachh League”, Indore has been placed in the category of cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, along with Navi Mumbai and Surat.

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