People oppose move to build shelter for stray dogs at Uppoor

Many residents of Uppoor, Havanje and Aroor in Udupi district staged a protest in front of Udupi Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday, opposing Udupi City Municipality’s proposal to construct a dog shelter at Uppoor.

They said that the municipality did not hold any public consultation before taking a decision to build the shelter on 9.90 acres of government land.

As the land in question is close to residential areas, it can be used for any other development projects and not for sheltering stray dogs. The proposed dog shelter project should be relocated, they demanded.

Addressing the protesters, a resident Kumar Bykadi said people feared that nearly 15,000 stray dogs from Udupi city limits could be shifted to the proposed shelter.

Fr. Lawrence D’Souza said several Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families lived near the proposed site and the project went against their interests. He urged the CMC to identify land away from human habitation. Another resident, Bhaskar Shetty Ammunje alleged that the decision showed bureaucratic suppression of public voices. Aroor gram panchayat former president Rajiv Kulal said that a lake is located nearby and the area could be developed as a tourism destination.