KOLKATA — Lady Brabourne College principal Siuli Sarkar wrote to KMC Borough VI chairperson Sana Ahmed last week, asking the civic body to vaccinate, sterilize and remove stray dogs from the Park Circus campus. Students have reported dogs chasing them, sparking panic. Two teachers suffered injuries recently after colliding with fleeing students, Sarkar said.

The request follows a Supreme Court ruling on Nov. 7 that demands permanent removal of stray dogs from sensitive sites. Those locations include government schools, colleges, hospitals and public transport hubs. The order requires sterilization and vaccination before shifting animals to designated shelters. Dogs cannot return to those areas.

KMC health department officials face a surge in similar pleas from state-run institutions. NRS Medical College Hospital and National Medical College Hospital have also contacted the corporation to clear strays from their grounds. Yet the civic body cannot act. No designated shelters exist. Construction has not started, according to KMC sources.

“We can handle vaccination and sterilization camps,” one official in the stray dog program said. “Relocation is impossible without shelters.” The corporation oversees the city’s stray population management. Requests spiked after the court directive, the official added.

Division runs deep at Lady Brabourne. Some students oppose eviction. They argue most dogs have never harmed anyone on campus. Others feed the animals regularly. “Many have a phobia,” Sarkar told reporters. “Feeding encourages them to stay.”

Health department teams struggle to respond. They received Sarkar’s letter but hold off for lack of infrastructure, sources said. Similar standoffs play out across Kolkata. Stray dogs roam freely near hospitals and colleges, undeterred.

The Supreme Court aimed to balance animal welfare with public safety. It stressed shelters over culling. Local bodies must foot the bill. In Kolkata, that means finding land and funding fast. KMC has sterilized thousands of strays in recent years. Vaccines roll out routinely. But shelter space remains a gap.

City officials eye potential sites. Talks with animal welfare groups continue. No timeline emerged. Pressure mounts as monsoon nears. Wet streets could worsen dog-human clashes.

For now, campuses stay on alert. Signs warn of strays. Staff chase off packs when possible. Students handle with caution. The court order hangs over all of it, unmet.