HYDERABAD: The dog menace continues to haunt Hyderabad as there is no respite from stray dogs, which run in thousands in the Charminar area, also known as the old city, according to official figures. According to data provided by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), there are over 1.16 lakh such stray dogs in the Charminar zone alone. Responding to social activist Karim Ansari, who filed a Right to Information query, while the GHMC said it has seized of the situation, the data makes it clear that it needs to do more than that. MS Education Academy See this sample: Over 1.16 lakh stray dogs in Charminar zone. Only about 57% have been sterilized by the corporation. This means that the number of stray dogs to be sterilized so far is more than 50,000. The GHMC informed Ansari that people who are facing the problem of stray dogs can complain through the GHMC app, its own control room, social media platforms like Twitter and through phone calls. After sterilization, these dogs are released in the same area where they were caught and taken for sterilization. Also read: Telangana: Child mauled to death by stray dogs near Kazipet Railway Quarters But while the human cost of canine conflict can be understood in terms of the victims of stray dogs, an even clearer picture can be obtained by looking at the financial implications. In the financial year 2021-22, GHMC spent Rs 92,97,848 to tackle the menace of stray dogs in all circles. Indeed, Telangana, in general, and Hyderabad, in particular, are grappling with the polarizing issue of the menace of stray dogs. In February this year, a 4-year-old child was mauled to death by stray dogs. More recently, on May 19, a 7-year-old boy from a nomadic community was killed by a pack of hungry, ferocious stray dogs in Kazipet, Warangal. While these incidents inspired outrage from all sections of society, some demanded that these dogs be treated more humanely, and decried their killing. It is neither a secret nor a surprise that the GHMC is facing a shortage of veterinary officers. Under criticism for not doing enough, the GHMC and Mayor Vijayalakshmi Gadwal swung into action. In April, an all-party committee presented its recommendations, listing measures to be taken to contain the menace. Among these were an increase in the number of veterinary field assistants and an increase in kennel capacity.