Rama Krishna Sangem
It’s a big legal win for stray or street dogs in Delhi. The dogs got a leg up in the Supreme Court of India on August 22, Friday, as it revised an earlier order and ensured their stay on their usual locations. The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an earlier order to permanently relocate stray dogs from the streets to dog shelters in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) amid widespread protests.
A three-judge special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria stayed the directive of a two-judge bench that had ordered authorities in Delhi-NCR to start picking up stray dogs from all localities “at the earliest” and relocate the canines to dog shelters.
The three-judge bench also banned feeding of stray dogs in public places and warned of appropriate action in case of violations.
The two-judge bench’s order had drawn criticisms from animal welfare groups, who argued that shelters are inadequate and ill-equipped and insisted that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, which mandates sterilisation and vaccination before releasing dogs back to their original locations, is the only lawful and humane solution
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an earlier order to permanently relocate stray dogs from the streets to dog shelters in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) amid widespread protests. The Supreme Court has asked “dog lovers” and NGOs, which moved against the order of permanent relocation of strays in Delhi-NCR, to deposit Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, within a week for being heard in the matter
Will implement SC order: Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will work “with full strength” to implement the Supreme Court’s directions on stray dogs in the national capital region, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said. “We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision and will implement it 100 per cent. The MCD will work on this order with full strength. Dogs are dear to all of us, but the public should not face any problem,” he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi, animal activist Maneka Gandhi among others hailed the SC ruling on the stray dogs that they can be released at their original locations. Interestingly, the issue went to the extent of activists dividing on both sides – dog lovers and the champions of dog bite victims not just in Delhi but all over the country – in the last few days.
