Nagpur, Dec. 10 -- The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced it will expedite the sterilisation of stray dogs by increasing the number of animal birth control (ABC) centres across cities. The government informed the legislative assembly that there are 1,188,281 stray dogs across the 29 municipal corporations, but only 105 ABC centres. Mumbai alone has 90,757 stray dogs, but just eight ABC centres or shelters. The government shared the data in response to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar, Chetan Tupe, Mahesh Landge and others in the legislative assembly on Tuesday regarding the rising incidents of stray dog bites and rabies-related deaths. Speaking in the assembly, Bhatkhalkar asked what steps were being taken to increase the number of ABC centres and suggested that the government should establish them on a "war footing" by acquiring the required land. Meanwhile, Landge, in a dig at animal rights activists, said stray dogs should be sent to the homes of those opposed to state measures. The state informed the lower house that 182,000 stray dogs in 29 municipal corporations, 50,844 across 395 municipal councils have been sterilised in 2024-25. The urban development department has begun implementing the central government's Animal Birth Control Rules and has asked urban local bodies to establish ABC monitoring committees. Minister of state for urban development Madhuri Misal said the government was complying with the Supreme Court's guidelines and work on sterilisation and shelters had begun on a war footing. The BJP's Bhosari MLA, Vilas Landge, said animal lovers were obstructing the government's efforts. "This has resulted in over 1 lakh (100,000) people being bitten by dogs in the last three years in Pune," he said. Misal did not respond to the suggestion but said, "We have issued directives for the implementation of orders by the court, and we are meticulously monitoring it."...