Ellis Nagar in the city is very close to Periyar bus stand and Bypass Road. Due to its proximity to the bus stand, it is preferred by many residents.
But, of late, many people are scared of entering the area for one major reason: stray dogs. Senior citizens and children, especially, are a worried lot.
When The Hindu team went around some of the “stray dogs-infested” areas of the city after a number of readers voiced their concern through e-mails, it came to light that Ellis Nagar was not the only location, but there were a few more such places.
The areas where stray dog threat is significant include Avaniapuram, Tirupparankundram, Arasaradi in the southern side, and P and T Nagar, Kosakulam, Tahsildar Nagar, Gomathipuram and Alwarpuram in the northern and western sides, and Sellur on Vaigai riverbank.
A resident in Gomathipuram Tamarai Street said the dogs fight fiercely among themselves past midnight almost daily. During daytime, they slept on the wayside. They sometimes pounced on pedestrians, particularly children. Early morning walkers had either to take an alternative route or be bold enough to scare the dogs away, he added.
It was no different in Ellis Nagar where Rajasekar, residing in a flat close to a local temple, said barking dogs were a nuisance at night. They would fight among themselves for the food left over by the residents and roadside eateries. On seeing the stray dogs, the dogs kept in houses too started barking. “The residents had to shut the windows of their houses or play loud music to avoid the barking sound,” he said.
In Viswasapuri close to Gnanaolivupuram in Arasaradi area, stray dogs moved in groups and got leftover food items, which sometimes would be in plastic bags.
Though some residents and unauthorised eateries close to the bus stand left them in the dumper bins, the dogs would jump into the bins and lift the leftover food. They would finally strew them on the streets, said Thangadurai, a shopkeeper.
With the city chosen under Smart Cities project, Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri and his core team members are keen on changing the face of Madurai.
“It is just a matter of time...people will start seeing the change,” he said recently. The main focus under the Smart Cities initiative would be to keep the city clean and hygienic, he said.
Assistant Health Officer Parthiban said stray dogs could not be killed. “Animal Welfare Board says we can sterilise dogs, which we do at Animal Birth Control Centre in Vellakal.
After observing the animals for a few days, we leave them back at the places where they were caught. We make some identification marks on the sterilised dogs. Sterilisation will prevent the rapid growth of dog population,” he said.
The Corporation was establishing one more dog shelter in Sellur, which would become functional shortly.
About 100 dogs could be caged there at a time. He appealed to the residents’ welfare associations and hoteliers to sensitise the public to the safe disposal of waste/eatables.
The Corporation also planned to identify streets/wards in the city where stray dog menace was high and carry out combing operation.
The problem would be solved soon, he said, adding stray dog menace might be experienced only in less than 10 of the 100 wards in the city.
An animal enthusiast, Ramesh of KK Nagar, said kennel clubs should be roped in to sensitise the public to the issue.
Dog shows should be a regular affair in the city, he said and urged the media to play a key role in containing the problem of stray dog menace as authorities alone could not achieve it.
