Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a city-wide stray dog census with an allocation of ₹5 lakh to streamline monitoring and management of the canine population.
According to BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana, the census is being carried out under the supervision of veterinary doctors to ensure accuracy. Stray dogs generally leave their resting places after 7 AM in search of food, so the enumeration has been scheduled between 5 AM and 7 AM, when most animals are still settled.
A five-member team has been deployed for each lane and ward, covering the city’s 3,500 to 4,000 km of lanes and major roads. In the first phase, spanning four days, teams will count the stray dogs and record their condition. In the second phase, another team will cross-check and verify the figures.
Officials clarified that while many cities have experimented with AI-driven counting systems, Bhubaneswar will rely on manual enumeration, given its adequate human resources. Special attention will be paid to dogs resting in schools, apartment complexes, markets, bazaars, and under parked vehicles.
The census is expected to provide vital data for planning vaccination, sterilization, and welfare measures for stray dogs across the city.
