BANGALORE: A discussion on street dogs organised by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) turned out to be a one-sided booing match at the Mayo Hall here on Friday.

A young and belligerent crowd doggedly supporting animal welfare organisations applauded the animal birth control programme and every statement made in support of it, thereby ensuring that those opposed to it went unheard in the din.

It was clear right at the start how the discussion would turn out. Even as the names of the animal welfare organisations and the activists were mentioned, the activists responded with thunderous claps and catcalls. So much so, BBMP Commissioner K. Jairaj had to remind them several times that it was meant to be a serious discussion on a pressing issue. His threats to terminate the session if the pro-street dog lobby did not discipline itself fell on deaf ears.

With the mood being one of confrontation, only the more aggressive among the anti-street dog lobby could speak.

It was proactive people like Almitra Patel (who took the issue of garbage clearance to Supreme Court) who made comments worth taking note of. She called for streets to be free of garbage and illegal meat shops as a first step to control street dog numbers. Those who fed the dogs on the streets were guilty of endangering human lives, she said.

An opposing view by a citizen that the dogs deserved a decent life drew more raucous applause, which died somewhat when he added that the animals did not deserve to be left to fend for themselves on the streets and that their rightful abode should be that of the dog lovers' homes.

When Mr. Jairaj sought to know how many animal lovers would adopt street dogs, some 40 to 50 raised their hands. He asked them to register themselves with an official and later announced that that only four had signed on the dotted line. Thereafter, a few more registered their names.

Mr. Jairaj blamed lack of sanitation and illegal meat shops on the situation saying an internal report too had suggested that the pack of dogs that mauled young Sridevi to death in Chandra Layout had grown feral because of illegal meat shops in the area. He asked his officials to take immediate steps to close down all such shops.

Asking citizens not to litter the streets, he said they should hand over the garbage only to the pourakarmikas who come to collect them. This would help control street dog numbers. The ABC programme would be revitalised after he looked into the review report, which is expected by March-end.

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