GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) on Saturday banned the domestication of three breeds of dogs – pit bull, Rottweiler and Dogo Argentino – in the city. The decision comes in the wake of recent dog attacks in the city and was taken at the GMC board meeting, probably the last before the announcement of municipal polls in the state. “Our guidelines mandate the registration of pet dogs as well as compulsory training for these three breeds,” said a GMC official. “But in the wake of the recent dog attacks, the GMC board has passed a proposal banning the domestication of these three breeds.” “Since some residents already own these dogs, the GMC, as a stopgap arrangement, has made the sterilisation of these pets mandatory within two months,” the official added. The board meeting, however, ended on a stormy note. Councillors cutting across party lines stormed the mayor’s dais and raised slogans against officials, alleging that GMC’s wrong policies led the corporation into a dire financial crisis. “The situation has come to a pass when GMC has no money to pay its contractors about Rs 330 crore for the work they have already done. No contractor is willing to take up fresh work even after tenders have been issued,” said BJP councillor Rajendra Tyagi. “Councillors on the other hand are under duress from residents to carry out development work in their respective wards. They have met officials and demanded that development work worth Rs 60 lakh be executed in each ward at the earliest before the model code of conduct kicks in because of the municipal elections,” he added. A proposal to hike the rent of 1,702 GMC-owned shops was shot down by the board. “The rent has not been hiked in many years. So, there is an urgent need for a hike that will also boost the corporation’s coffers. But no councillor could afford to side with this unpopular decision during an election year,” said Tyagi.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ghaziabad/ghaziabad-bans-pit-bull-rottweiler-dogo-argentino-as-pets/articleshow/94888192.cms