68,675 dog bites in Delhi in 2015; over 57 pc in NDMC areas

Over 68,000 dog bites were reported by the civic bodies in the national capital last year with most number of the cases being from north Delhi, Lok Sabha was informed today.
In his written reply, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary gave the details of the cases of dog bites and monkey bites in the national capital since January 1, 2014.
In his reply to questions by MPs K N Ramchandran and D K Suresh, he said a total of 68,675 dog bites were reported by the three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Cantonment Board in 2015. The latest figure for the current year is 16,632 dog bites.

The highest number of dog bites, 39,602, was reported by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in 2015. In the current year also, the civic body has reported 11,314 dog bites till date.
The number of dog bites are also high in areas under the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. Last year 26,584 dog bites were reported while in the current year 4,783 cases have come to light so far in those areas.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) reported the highest number of monkey bites, at 766, in 2015. A total of 937 cases were reported in Delhi last year.

In the current year, 268 cases of monkey bites have been reported so far.

The minister said dispensaries of local bodies provide free rabies vaccine and anti-rabies serum to persons bit by stray animals.
The civic bodies are also making efforts to curb the population of stray dogs as per the policy of Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.
Over 400 monkeys were caught by the monkey-catchers hired by the three municipal corporations and relocated to Asola Bhati Mines between April 1, 2015 and March 31.
The New Delhi Municipal Council has also relocated 188 monkeys from 2015 till date, to Asola wildlife sanctuary, he said.