ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST THOSE WHO FEED STRAY DOGS ON THE STREET: SC

ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST THOSE WHO FEED STRAY DOGS ON THE STREET: SC

23-AUG-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI------------------------------The Supreme Court has banned feeding stray dogs on the streets. The court has directed the municipal corporation officials of Delhi-NCR to make a fixed place for dogs. Legal action will be taken if anyone is found feeding dogs on the streets.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that feeding stray dogs on the streets will not be allowed. The court also directed the municipal corporation officials of Delhi-NCR to make a fixed place for this.

A special bench of three judges headed by Justice Vikram Nath said that feeding areas should be identified keeping in mind the population and density of stray dogs in a particular municipal ward. Apart from this, feeding stray dogs on the streets will not be allowed under any circumstances. The bench also included Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria.

The apex court directed that notice boards be put up near the designated feeding areas, making it clear that this area is for feeding stray dogs. Action will be taken under legal provisions against persons found feeding stray dogs on the streets.

It said, "The above directions are being issued in view of reports of unpleasant incidents caused by irregular feeding of stray dogs, to ensure that the practice of feeding dogs on streets and public places is stopped as it causes great difficulties to the common man on the streets.''

The court also ordered every municipal authority to set up a helpline to report incidents of violation of the directions. The apex court ordered to take appropriate action against the concerned person or organization on receipt of complaints on the helpline.

The bench modified the apex court's August 11 direction prohibiting the release of stray dogs from shelters in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and said that the picked up dogs should be sterilized, vaccinated and released back in the same area from where they were caught.

The bench said that the municipal authorities will continue to follow the direction asking them to start picking up and taking care of stray dogs from all areas of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram.

The bench clarified that the transfer will not apply to dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected with it and dogs with aggressive behaviour. The apex court passed the order on an interim prayer to stay certain directions passed by a two-judge bench on August 11.

The bench pronounced its order on Friday in a suo motu case initiated on July 28 on a media report of rabies, especially in children, due to stray dog ​​bites in the national capital. Earlier, there were widespread protests across the country following the Supreme Court order of August 11.

Later, the matter came up for hearing on August 14 before a special bench of three judges, which said that the "entire problem" of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR was a result of the "inaction" of local authorities who did "nothing" to enforce animal birth control rules.