Ｇ２０首脳会議前に野良犬「捕獲・隔離」、作戦中止に　インド首都

【ニューデリーＡＦＰ＝時事】インドの首都ニューデリー当局はこのほど、来月に開催される２０か国・地域首脳会議（Ｇ２０サミット）に合わせ実施する予定だった、野良犬を捕獲し隠す作戦を中止することを決めた。当局者が６日、明らかにした。（写真はインドの首都ニューデリーのバス停で寝転ぶ野良犬）
　当局は３日、高級ホテルや人気観光スポット付近の野良犬を一斉に捕獲し、サミット終了まで不妊手術センターに隔離しておくと発表していた。
　しかし、当局者は６日、ＡＦＰに対し、この作戦は突如中止されたと述べた。理由は明らかにしていない。
　地元メディアは、同作戦についてデリー市民や動物愛護家から反対の声が上がっていたと報じた。
　インドの家畜に関する最新の政府統計によると、デリーの野良犬の数は２０１２年は６万匹以上。
　当局は、野良犬の数を抑制するため定期的に不妊手術を施しているものの、今も公園や住宅街に野良犬の群れがいる。
　インドは昨年Ｇ２０議長国に就任して以来、首都近郊の美化を進めている。会場付近のスラム街の撤去や、渋滞で知られる市内の主要幹線道路の改修も行われている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/08/09-17:06）

India's capital has called a halt on plans to catch and hide thousands of stray dogs before world leaders arrive in the megacity for next month's G20 summit, a local official said Sunday.
New Delhi's municipal government announced Thursday it would round up canines outside boutique hotels and popular tourist hotspots, and keep them at animal sterilisation centres until the summit was over.
But the policy was abruptly withdrawn over the weekend, a local official told AFP on Sunday, without explaining why.
Local media reported that the dog-catching scheme had aroused opposition from Delhi residents and animal rights activists.
More than 60,000 stray dogs live on Delhi's streets according to India's Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent available government figures.
Sterilisation campaigns have been regularly employed by local authorities to keep the canine population in check, though dog packs remain present in parks and residential neighbourhoods around the city.
Many of Delhi's strays are beloved by their adopted neighbourhoods despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the city's harsh winters.
But they are also a hazard to humans, with local media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs across the country.
Roughly 17 million dog bites are reported across India each year and the World Health Organization says that nearly 20,000 people nationwide die of rabies annually.
The Delhi metropolitan area, home to around 30 million people, has been on an intense beautification drive since India assumed the G20 presidency last year.
Authorities have cleared illegal slums near summit venues and revamped major arterial routes on the city's gridlocked roads ahead of September's summit, which will host leaders of the world's top economies.