Bhopal’s streets gripped by stray dog fear dominated Madhya Pradesh Assembly proceedings Tuesday, amid the ongoing budget session. The discourse expanded to indict water contamination scandals, exposing health policy fault lines.
Congress newcomer Aatif Akil (Bhopal Uttar) led with an attention notice, bemoaning unchecked stray proliferation. BMC’s Rs 2 crore on sterilization-vaccination yielded zilch, he charged, with 40-50 daily bites maiming kids and aged. ‘Beyond annoyance, it’s a health catastrophe,’ Akil declared.
Vijayvargiya, Urban Development Minister, outlined remedies: dog squad vigilance, 26,900 jabs administered, ample anti-rabies stock. Bite fatalities? None. He evoked customs: ‘Sate dogs’ hunger with rotis—first for cows, last for them, ants too.’
Wit punctuated rivalry—Shekhawat needled Vijayvargiya, Sharma dubbed dogs ‘terrorists.’ Injection shortages drew calls from Sharma and Jain for stockpiles.
Singhar, opposition chief, lambasted selective outrage: dog debates yes, Indore’s 35 water-poisoning deaths no. ‘Bhagirathpura’s foul water kills silently; why the evasion?’ he probed.
From assembly echoes to action imperatives, the session dissected urban afflictions. Effective stray management blends enforcement, awareness, tech like apps for reports. Water crises demand infrastructure overhauls, rigorous monitoring. Bipartisan push could forge solutions, restoring public trust in a safer Madhya Pradesh.