Govt yet to approve Mohali MC bylaws

Kulwinder Sangha

Mohali , April 27

The Mohali Municipal Corporation has failed to register even a single pet dog even though a proposal in this regard was cleared by it more than four years ago.

Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Dhiman said no pet dog could be registered as the bylaws framed in this regard had not been approved by the state government so far. He said the registration would start as soon as the bylaws were notified.

He further said the civic body had called a meeting with representatives of animal welfare associations to create awareness among residents about the registration of pet dogs and sterilisation of stray dogs.

Dhiman further said the MC had demanded that a veterinary doctor be made available at the civic body office so that during the registering of pet dogs, he was able to get required information about dog vaccination. He will be made nodal officer of the project.

The Municipal Commissioner said under the proposed Punjab Municipal (Registration and Proper Control of Dogs) Bylaws, every owner would have to get his or her pets registered annually by paying a fee of Rs 250.

A proposal to register pet dogs in Mohali had been cleared by the civic body on August 28, 2012, which was then approved by the Director, Local Government. Later, in December 2013, the corporation put the proposed dog bylaws in the public domain for inviting objections and suggestions. However, it failed to receive any response from residents to the proposals.

Later in 2014, the corporation had moved a proposal for getting the bylaws notified by the government.

Under the proposals, a pet owner, who had paid the fee, was to be issued a metal token with his or her name and address engraved on it, which was to be affixed to the dog collar all the time.