Sambalpur, Aug.12: Sambalpur municipality has decided to build a kennel and buy a dog-catching vehicle to deal with canine menace in the city.

“The government has sanctioned Rs 15 lakh for construction of the kennel and purchase of the dog-catching van. Tenders have already been invited. The civic body has also decided to train five persons to catch dogs,” said the municipality’s vice-chairperson Siddhartha Saha.

Executive officer of the municipality Rebika Bilung said: “Non-government organisations will also be involved in this program. Five persons from interested non-government organisations will be trained to catch dogs. The squad will catch the animals from the street and take them to the kennel for sterilisation.”

With an unusual rise in the population of stray dogs, the number of dog bite cases has gone up. “Hundreds of dog biting cases are reported in the district headquarters hospital every month. Majority of the dog bites take place within the city,” said Rajendra Kumar Sahu, a local resident.

“There have been several cases of stray dogs attacking local residents. It is the responsibility of the civic body to control the dog population,” said Nandan Kumar Behera, another local resident.