poop

dogs

Kothrud

Pune Municipal Corporation

pets

It has been a year now that(PMC) has started penalising dog owners for not clearing the poop that their canines deposit on the sidewalks. A special squad of 10 members has been deployed in Deccan, Kothrud and Shivajinagar to keep an eye out for people who violate these norms. Recently, a spate of these violations were reported from Kothrud, where residents claim that dogs have not just pooped, but littered — remains of faecal matter and urination — near gates, flower pots, gardens and walkways. This was noticed by the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office that has decided to issue a penalty of Rs 500.On Saturday, a team from the sanitary department fined 23 pet parents for not picking up the poop and litter behind their dogs. Many were asked to clean the particular area with water as well.The action followed grievances lodged from wards 10, 11 and 12, claimed Vaijinath Gaikwad, assistant sanitary inspector. “We had noticed thatwere ‘littering’ in the public spaces. While several had started picking up their dog’s poop following a campaign, there was no way to curb the other kinds of litter. Thus, we decided to start a campaign against peeing as well. On the first day, we asked the offenders to wash the areas with water. Those who refused were forced to pay a fine,” he said.Residents and pet parents have welcomed the initiative. For instance, Mahesh Gengane, who has paid the fine for his dog’s litter, said, “People spend lakhs on their pets. Then, why can’t they look after the mess created by them? I have vowed to take a disinfectant with me from now on.”Madhukar Lale, a resident of Dahanukar Colony, pointed to the fact that Deccan, Kothrud Prabhat Road and Karve Nagar had been struggling with the problem for long. “People have started using scoopers, but the other litter remains. PMC needs to create designated littering sports near trees, where dogs can be trained to urinate,” Lale said.Shishir Bahulikar, assistant commissioner of Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office, said that the action resulted from their continuous efforts to keep the area free of litter. “People have been told to train their pets against urinating on main walkways. Furthermore, a pet parent must clear after pets — be it poop or any other remains,” he said, adding, “The guilty will be charged under sections 3 (A), 4, 244 and 376 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act, 1949, that pertain to dirtying public places. The department has decided to continue this drive, particularly in upscale residential areas to ensure the wards’ cleanliness.”