Hyderabad: Residents are protesting the construction of an animal care centre for sterilising dogs near the graveyard located in the seventh phase of the Kukatpally Housing Board Colony. An Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre is functioning adjacent the graveyard since 2009. This is prime real estate, near Hitec City MMTS station. The centre, housed in a temporary structure and comprising two sheds and an operation theatre, caters to the needs of the GHMC’s west zone. Dogs are sterilised and put under the post-operative care for five days. The centre needs to be expanded considering the needs of the zone.
A GHMC official said, “We are working to get a permanent structure so that the housing capacity can be increased. This is in the interest of the public and for welfare of animals. This is not a veterinary hospital but an animal care centre. However, since the commencement of the construction here, there are so many obstacles.”
In all other zones, the animal care centres are ready or nearing completion. But people have been protesting about locating the centre here, saying it is an upmarket area or that it is encroaching on the graveyard. It has become routine for people to threaten the contractor and officials constructing the centre. Recently, two people were detained by the police for creating a ruckus.
The GHMC official said, “We are not taking any extra area. The centre is located on about 1,900 sq m, which is same as the existing one. The land was handed over to the GHMC by the AP Housing Board Corporation almost two decades ago. The land is not disputed nor will we take additional land for the permanent structure. The graveyard will remain intact.”
