Pune: The Chakan Municipal Council has announced measures to urgently control the stray dog population in the industrial town, around 35km from Pune city.The development comes after a 32-year-old woman was mauled to death by a pack of six stray dogs on a service road of the Pune–Nashik highway, around 2am on Monday.The civic body has now prioritised expanding its dog shelter capacity, intensifying vaccination and sterilization drives, monitoring garbage dumping points, and ensuring scientific disposal of meat waste in particular.Civic officials said these steps are crucial to preventing further attacks and estimated a budget of at least Rs50 lakh to implement the measures effectively.The council plans to approach the district collector for funds and is also exploring corporate social responsibility (CSR) tie-ups.CMC chief officer Ankush Jadhav said they plan to double the capacity of their existing dog shelter from 100 to 200 animals. He told TOI,”We aim to step up capturing of stray dogs to vaccinate and sterilise them. We will keep them under observation for a few days before releasing them. This will help us control the population and reduce the risk of rabies infections. We are identifying closed industrial sheds that can be converted into shelters, in compliance with regulations.”“So far, a private agency hiredfor this task has sterilised around 400 dogs in the last few months. This drive will continue in the town,” he added.Residents and activists argued that the tragedy is a result of long-standing civic neglect. Chakan, which transitioned from a gram panchayat to a municipal council in 2015, has despite rapid industrial growth struggled to keep pace with its rising population and the resultant waste generation.“The increased town population and mushrooming of eateries have led to a surge in garbage generation. There is neither adequate manpower nor infrastructure for waste management,” said activist Atul Kandge, adding, “The council has outsourced stray dog population control to a private agency, but there is no dedicated accountability.”The council has now also deployed additional staff to monitor garbage dumping points across all 12 of its wards.“We have introduced a dedicated vehicle for systematic collection and disposal of chicken waste. Improper disposal often attracts stray dogs and leads to pack formation,” added Jadhav.Civic officials also indicated plans to coordinate with neighbouring gram panchayats to address the issue collectively. A senior CMC official chose anonymity and said, “We have received complaints that stray dogs from adjoining municipal areas are relocated and released here. We lack concrete evidence so far, but will keep a strict watch to prevent such activities.”Chakan residents expressed anger and fear following Monday’s attack, demanding sustained action rather than reactive measures. Resident Prashant Kale said, “Earlier incidents of dog bites were ignored. The administration is acting only after a life was lost.”Another resident, Sunita More, said, “Packs of stray dogs can be seen roaming early in the morning or late at night, especially near highways and garbage spots.”“The council must ensure continuous monitoring, not just temporary drives after incidents,” said a local shopkeeper, choosing to stay unnamed.Several residents TOI spoke to said the effectiveness of the newly announced measures will be closely watched.
