Dogs ensure there’s no ‘shanti’ in Shantinagar

Dogs ensure there’s no ‘shanti’ in Shantinagar
The Times of India

Bangalore: According to residents of Shantinagar, the locality must be renamed as ‘Galate Nagara’!

And, why not? The area resounds with barks. If half-adozen street dogs don’t follow you when you walk in Shantinagar, you must be extraordinarily blessed. The area is plagued by stray dogs, as if all of them have one common address — bylanes of Shantinagar.

The problem just gets worse at night. The dogs bawl till late in the night and residents are forced to stay up. Old-timers who are immune to this ‘midnight masala’ of course sleep well. Said Preetama K, a resident: “The entire area is plagued by the stray dog menace. If you stay close to a restaurant, there’s double trouble because these eating joints throw the left-overs and the dogs fight like crazy.’’

One of the other reasons for this menace, Sumitha Chendira opined is that garbage is not picked up regularly. “The pourakarmikas remain absent every other day and piles of garbage attract the dogs and the mosquitoes.’’

Also for the last two years, Basappa Road and Nanjappa Road have become home to hundreds of utility pipes — that serve as homes for these dogs. “We have contacted the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and every other agency, but no body wants to claim responsibility and take these pipes. So, they have been lying here and rusting for so long now,’’ added Sumitha.

Till last year, Shantinagar would boast of one area that was free from water logging. Not anymore though. This year, unauthorised constructions have come up in the locality that have encroached upon the storm water drain, thus closing the outlet. “Also, as the slabs covering the storm water drain would collapse frequently, culverts were built. But these culverts are like a camel hum, so high that the water rarely flows in, instead it enters the homes and offices,’’ added another resident. As Chendira put it: “On the face of it, Shantinagar is one of the problem-free areas of Bangalore. Till you come and stay here and ask the neighbours — where’s the shanti?’’
Vital statistics

• Population of the locality is approximately 45,000

•46 per cent of the taxes come from Shantinagar and Richmond Town, but the allocation for this Shantinagar is a mere Rs 1.5 crore, consisting six corporation wards.

• Stray dog menace, residents say, has been existing ever since dogs arrived on the planet!

• Several unauthorised have encroached on the storm water drain, water logging is common each time it rains.

• Hundreds of utility pipes lay unattended.

MLASPEAK: S RAGHU

•We have planned to asphalt all the major roads. Burley Street, Eagle Street, Akithemanahalli Central Street, Langford Road,Alfred Street and Wellington Street in another 45 days.

• Because of the Supreme Court ruling, we can’t kill the
dogs.

• Recently completed the cleaning of the storm water
drain upto Hosur Road