Uproar at Nagar Nigam Board meeting
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 26 Aug: The third board meeting of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation held here, today, began on a solemn note with a tribute to the victims of the Dharali and Tharali tragedies. The Municipal Councillors and the officials observed two-minutes’ silence before proceedings commenced.
However, the session soon became turbulent as arguments broke out across party lines. The Municipal Corporators expressed serious displeasure over the non-implementation of resolutions passed at the last board meeting. BJP and Congress representatives clashed heatedly, forcing Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal to intervene and restore order.
As discussions resumed, discontent surfaced during deliberations on 26 resolutions. Councillors alleged that garbage collection in many wards has remained irregular and pointed to a shortage of staff in several departments. With consensus, the board decided to prohibit all hawkers within the municipal area. In a bid to promote segregation of waste, it was resolved that households practicing separation of wet and dry garbage for door-to-door collection would receive a 50 per cent rebate, while penalties would be levied on those handing over mixed waste.
The menace of street dogs was another major focus of the meeting. It was decided that councillors themselves would register complaints about dangerous dogs involved in biting incidents, following which municipal teams would take immediate action. In a significant move, the duration for keeping dogs under observation for vaccination and neutering will be extended from five to 15 days, during which they will also undergo training with the assistance of NGOs to calm aggressive behaviour. It was also decided that the dogs will be vaccinated thrice a year, and efforts will be made to encourage their adoption by animal lovers. The board also approved proposals to increase kennel capacity from 72 to 200 and to construct 20 to 25 new shelters.
The house further approved steep hikes in fines related to dog ownership and stray management. The penalty for not registering or vaccinating pet dogs has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 5,000. An equal fine will apply to those allowing their pets to defecate in the open. It was resolved that the owners of unrestrained dogs found roaming freely will be fined Rs 3,000. Registration for the 23 banned dog breeds will now be conditional upon submission of a training certificate. Feeding pet dogs on the streets will invite a penalty of Rs 5,000, and fines will also be imposed for feeding stray animals in public spaces. In addition, a campaign to curb the monkey menace will be undertaken in coordination with the Forest Department.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal conceded that municipal corporators had voiced serious dissatisfaction over civic management in their wards but assured that the corporation is working diligently to improve the system. He pointed out that visible progress would already be seen in several areas and emphasised that the key resolutions passed, particularly those addressing waste management and street dogs, would go a long way in enhancing urban life in the city.
