Noida, Oct 29 (IANS): Spiralling incidents of stray dogs-human conflicts has turned the spotlight on increasing canine population in the country with Uttar Pradesh topping the list.

As the state leads in the street dog population, the number of attacks on the humans -- at times leading to their deaths -- is also the highest.

According to the Uttar Pradesh Urban Development department, the stray dog population currently stands at 2,059,261 which is huge as compared to that of pet dogs at 422,129.

The department puts the number of stray dogs as three per 100 people.

Now, the only way out to curb the menace is by controlling their population.

While Uttar Pradesh leads the country in terms of the population of stray dogs with 20.59 lakh, Odisha is second at 17.34 lakh, Maharashtra - 12.76 lakh, Rajasthan - 12.75 lakh, and Karnataka with 11.41 lakh.

Besides, West Bengal has a stray dog population of 11.04 lakh, Madhya Pradesh - 10.09 lakh, Andhra Pradesh - 8.64 lakh, and Bihar - 6.96 lakh.

These figures reveal their number in various states and is directly related to the rising incidents of stray dog bites and attacks on humans.

Usually, in most such incidents, aggression has been cited as the main reason which is directly related to hunger.

Earlier, in almost every Hindu family household, it was a ritual to feed the cows and dogs. Instead of the dustbins, the leftovers were put on the roadside as a gesture of compassion towards the voiceless canine.

Today, the population of stray dogs is increasing while there is acute hunger all over the country. Crores of rupees are spent every year on sterilisation of stray dogs, but then how is their population increasing? asks an expert.

This question should be asked to the concerned government department. Cases of stray dogs becoming aggressive and biting humans have also increased due to their relocation. Sometimes due to greed for money and at other times due to external pressure, municipal corporation employees pick up dogs from a particular area and leave them in some other area, as a result they get scared and in this panic they bite a human being.

The lawmakers would have been aware of this, hence relocation of stray dogs is prohibited in the law.

New colonies are being formed and the dog habitats are being encroached upon by humans. The humans are displacing dogs from their natural habitat which is one of the major reasons for the increase in dog bites or attacks on humans.

The first towards getting rid of the menace should be strict sterilisation of the canines. When their population is limited, the possibility of conflict will also be limited.

According to the expert, the second would be to make sufficient food and water available to them. Within every five km radius, one will not see any such arrangement anywhere. During summers, these voiceless animals keep craving for every drop of water. If food and water are available, aggression shown by dogs will automatically reduce.

The third step is to ban relocation of stray dogs by giving strict instructions to municipal corporation employees.

The fourth step is to implement the concept of community dog ??by making people aware. This means that if the people of a society or colony together adopt some dogs, take care of their food, give them love, then not only will the population of destitute dogs reduce but it will have many positive effects such as other dogs will not be allowed to enter another area because dogs will have their own territory.

As a result, incidents of dog bites will reduce and colonies will also get a free watchman, the expert opined.