MCD appoints 1,577 nodal officers to secure its schools, hospitals from stray dogs

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has appointed nodal officers at all its schools and hospitals in keeping with the Supreme Court’s November 7 order to clear stray dogs from public spaces and ensure that each institution designates a nodal officer to keep its premises free of strays.

However, the civic body’s work to identify feeding points for strays, as per the top court’s directive on August 22, is progressing slowly, The Hindu has learnt. While the court had asked that at least one feeding spot be identified in each ward, the municipality has so far identified 500 feeding points across 150 of the city’s 250 wards, said a senior official.

The official added that they have appointed 1,566 nodal officers at their primary and pre-primary schools and 11 officers at their medical facilities.

“The officers are responsible for ensuring that the premises are free from strays and for taking preventive action, such as fencing or barricading, as required, to prevent their entry,” said the official.

However, the official added, the MCD is yet to receive the list of nodal officials appointed at private and government institutions, including bus stands, railway and metro stations, schools, and hospitals, operating under its jurisdiction.

Regarding the identification of feeding spots, the official said, “The process is under way. Proper signage will be installed at these locations soon.”

In September, MCD Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma said they would identify 1,000 feeding spots — four in each ward — would be identified for stray dogs.

Meanwhile, even as the municipality last week approved the long-pending proposal to release ₹13.5 crore owed to the 13 NGOs that run 20 dog sterilisation centres across the city, the non-profits are likely to receive the payments only from January next year. The NGOs, which haven’t been paid since March, are reimbursed ₹1,000 per dog for sterilisation and vaccination.

“The pending amount will be released month by month from January, as completing the required budgetary processes generally takes about a month,” the official said.