Clean City, Hungry Canines: Indore's Unforeseen Challenge

Indore, India's cleanest city, faces a stray dog food crisis. As municipal waste collection limits food access, increased aggression in 2.5 lakh dogs leads to a large-scale sterilisation effort. NGOs and local authorities are stepping in to provide food and reduce hostility among the strays.

In a bid to maintain its prestigious reputation as India's cleanest city, Indore is confronting an unexpected consequence: a burgeoning food crisis affecting approximately 2.5 lakh stray dogs. Limited food sources have led to increased canine aggression, prompting urgent administrative action.

The Indore Municipal Corporation has announced a major sterilisation campaign to manage stray dog populations, planning to raise the sterilisation rate from 30-35 to 90 per day. Dr. Uttam Yadav, head of the Animal Birth Control programme, acknowledged that hunger drives the dogs' irritability.

Local NGOs and animal welfare enthusiasts are working to address the crisis by supplying food, but conflicts persist with residents uneasy about feeding strays nearby. Indore's determination to remain spotless underlines a critical need for solutions to maintain harmony between cleanliness and animal welfare.

(With inputs from agencies.)