Figure of 11 dead, 263 dog bite cases; More expected from the Govt
The Sangai Express Editorial ; Jan 15

11 dead, 263 cases of dog bite since October last year. Churachandpur is basically known as the second town of Manipur, after Imphal but the figure that has just been given is abnormally high, even for a big town and one can imagine the situation there.

As commented earlier in this column, dogs usually do not bite except when they are irritated, frightened or get a sense of being under danger. Or worse still it could be a case of when the dogs become rabid. And all indications say that the dogs are indeed rabid.

The district administration is obviously aware of the threats posed by a rabid canine population and this should explain the intense drives taken up to nullify the threats posed to the town dwellers of Churachandpur. However this does not say much about the State Government. Has the State Government given the case the sense of urgency it needs ? Apart from the news received from the correspondent of this newspaper regularly, the media too seem to have turned a blind eye to the menace at Churachandpur.

If this can happen to a place which is deemed to be the second town of Manipur, after Imphal and which is located about 60-65 kms from the capital, imagine how the situation would be if a similar fate befell any of the smaller and far flung places in the State. Apart from the National Health Mission coming out with the precautionary measures to be taken up when bitten by a dog, there is not much to show that the State Government has used the media for wide publicity. This is unacceptable.

No efforts should be spared to tell the common citizens on how to deal with the situation. Publicity campaign must be carried out on a large scale and crack downs, if needed, should be launched. From the statistics available at the moment, it should be obvious that the district administration of Churachandpur may not be well equipped to deal with the situation. What is stopping the State Government from intervening and putting on their thinking caps on how to deal with the matter ? The figure of 11 dead and 263 cases of dog bites are official records. There is the distinct possibility that not all the cases of dog bites have entered the official record.

A disturbing thought it is but something which is possible and in Manipur anything that is possible can happen, especially when it comes to things which are disturbing. And what is happening at Churachandpur is definitely disturbing. So far there have been no official communications on the preventive measures taken up.

Apart from annihilating the rabid dogs and getting them vaccinated, what are the steps that the Government is planning to take up ? Already more then ten people have died and dog bite cases are rising. Not the time to sleep over the matter. Educate the public and take up requisite measures to see that it does not spread to the other districts.