By | PR Network
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the removal of all stray dogs from residential colonies in Delhi-NCR to shelters, citing the increasing number of rabies deaths due to stray dog attacks. A bench of Chief Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan took note of a news report highlighting the issue and decided to take action. The court warned that strict action will be taken against any organization that obstructs this initiative. The bench emphasized that the decision is for public good and should not be influenced by emotions. “We are not doing this for ourselves, it is for the public good. So, there should not be any kind of emotions involved. Action should be taken as soon as possible,” Justice Pardiwala said.
The court directed civic authorities in Delhi-NCR to construct shelter homes for dogs, staffed by professionals who can handle, sterilize, and vaccinate the dogs. All stray dogs, whether sterilized or not, should be relocated to these shelters. CCTVs should be installed in the shelters to prevent dogs from escaping, and helplines should be set up to report incidents of dog bites.
The court noted that the availability of rabies vaccines is a major concern and directed the authorities to provide detailed information about the availability of vaccines, stock, and the number of persons coming for treatment every month. According to official data, 49 cases of rabies were reported in Delhi between January and June this year, with 35,198 cases of animal bites reported during the same period. Rabies is a viral infection with a high mortality rate, killing about 60,000 people each year, with 36% of these deaths occurring in India.
The Delhi government has assured the court that it will ensure the timely implementation of the order. The court has warned that anyone who obstructs this initiative will face action for contempt of court.
