Hyderabad: BRS leader T Harish Rao criticized the government on Wednesday, accusing it of negligence in handling the rising cases of dog bites in the State. He expressed concern about the increasing number of children falling victim to these dog attacks.
Harish Rao was deeply shaken by the recent incident of a stray dog attacking and killing an infant. He said, “Despite such tragic and heartbreaking incidents, the Congress government remains indifferent. It is shocking that the government stays unmoved while children in the State are suffering from dog bites. This is not just negligence—it is a complete disregard for human life.”
According to Harish Rao, more than 60,000 dog bite cases have been reported this year, resulting in the loss of innocent lives. He pointed out that these deaths could have been prevented, but families continue to be devastated due to the government’s inaction.
He highlighted the worsening situation, which he said is caused by the government’s failure to control the stray dog population and ensure the availability of anti-rabies injections in public hospitals. The lack of proper sanitation, with garbage piling up in the streets, has also contributed to the growing stray dog problem. Harish Rao criticized municipal authorities and the Urban Development Department for failing to act, which he said is costing lives.
There are over two million stray dogs across Telangana, with more than one million in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area alone. Harish Rao emphasized that this shows the government’s total failure in managing the crisis.
Additionally, Harish Rao called on the government to follow the examples set by the Haryana and Punjab High Courts by providing compensation to victims. He demanded Rs five lakh compensation for families of those who die from dog bites and Rs 50,000 for those injured. He urged the government to ensure that public hospitals offer immediate treatment for dog bite victims and that anti-rabies injections are available at all primary health centers and hospitals.
Harish Rao also suggested setting up committees to manage the stray dog population and launching sterilization drives in every village and town.
On a positive note, Harish Rao congratulated the people of Telangana for achieving a historic milestone. He stated that Telangana is now the only State in India with a medical college in every district. With the recent approval of four new medical colleges, the State now has 34 government medical colleges, a significant increase from the five that existed before Telangana’s formation.
