New Delhi: Stray dogs must be shifted away from residential localities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and any organisation blocking the exercise would face “the strictest action,” the Supreme Court said Monday.
Setting an eight-week deadline for civic authorities to pick up all stray dogs from public spaces and house them in dedicated shelters, a bench of Justices J.B.Pardiwala and R.Mahadevan stressed that “all localities should be made free of stray dogs” and that “there should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise.”
The bench warned of action against “any individual or organisation that comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up.”
The top court instructed municipal bodies and other agencies to work in coordination to create adequate shelter facilities in the stipulated time frame.
Authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram were directed to immediately start building shelters, move stray dogs, and update the court within eight weeks.
The order was passed while the top court was hearing a suo motu case taken up two weeks ago concerning rising incidents of rabies and fatalities caused by stray dog bites.
The top court said it would hear arguments from the Centre, but would not entertain petitions from dog lovers or any other parties on this subject.
The state and municipal authorities were asked to create shelters with sufficient staff to sterilise and immunise the dogs. “The State of NCT Delhi, MCD and NDMC is directed to create dog shelters and report this Court creation of such infrastructure within 8 weeks. The dog shelters should have sufficient staff to sterilise and immunise. The dog shelters would be monitored by CCTV,” it said.
When Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was asked for his opinion, he informed that a site in Delhi had been identified for relocating stray dogs, but the plan was stalled after animal rights activists obtained a stay order.
In a sharp rebuke to animal rights activists, the court asked, “All these activists, will they be able to bring back those who have fallen prey to rabies? We need to make streets absolutely free of stray dogs.”
The apex court further said that it would not allow any adoption of stray dogs either.
Justice Pardiwala emphasised the public interest behind the directive while giving out the order. “We are not doing this for us; it is for the public interest. So, no sentiments of any nature should be involved. Action should be taken at the earliest,” the judge said.
Addressing amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwala, he said, “Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to far-off places. For the time being, forget the rules.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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This would not solve the problem. It will just shift the problem from one site to another.
Besides, stray dogs are a menace in every city and town of India, not just Delhi. Across India, there are frequent news reports of children dying in stray dog attacks and senior citizens getting badly mauled.
The only solution to this menace is mass culling. Genuinely hope the Justices will understand the gravity of the problem and allow mass culling of stray dogs.
Thanks to the Supreme Court for coming to the aid of the common man.
Whosoever feels strongly for stray dogs (the editors at The Print certainly do, as evident from the asinine editorial take) should adopt them and keep them at home.
Australia is culling Kangaroo, Sweden is culling Brown bears, Kenya is culling ELEPHANTS, India should be culling stray dogs….
Anyone who obstructs the removal of stray dogs must be arrested and prosecuted by the concerned authorities.
Out cities and towns must be rid of this nuisance. The only viable solution is mass culling of stray dogs. Hope the Supreme Court will allow culling of stray dogs to eliminate the menace.
Kudos to the Supreme Court! Heartfelt gratitude to the Justices for this landmark judgement.
Hope the municipal authorities do their part of the job efficiently and rid the city streets of strays at the earliest.
At times, the SC does seem to bat for the common man.