Shibu Thomas
With over 50,000 cases of dog bite and 20 deaths every year, the
state government on Friday told the Bombay high court that the BMC should be
permitted to cull stray dogs. The state’s admission came before a full bench
of the court comprising justice S Radhakrishnan, justice D B Bhosale and
justice Vijaya
Kapse Tahilramani that is hearing the issue of whether to review a 1998
order banning the killing of stray dogs.
The judges observed that neither killings of strays or mere
sterilisations would be a solution. “The animals should be taken to dog
pounds away from the city limits and residential areas,” said the judge.
The court has now ordered the setting up of monitoring committees to oversee
the implementation of sterilisation programmes and submit a report to the
court.
As per the latest estimates, there are about six lakh stray dogs in the
city and the suburbs. “The provisions in the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals and in the BMC Act for
the purpose of controlling the stray dog population is legal in view of the
detailed statistics available regarding dog bites and the deaths on account
of dog bites,” said Mohan Paradupadhye, deputy secretary (urban development
department). “The BMC must be permitted to cull stray dogs (as provided
under the Act).”
This is a view that is being supported by organisations including the
Maharashtra Law Graduates Association and the Goa-based People for
Elimination of Stray Troubles. Other NGOs, including In Defence of Animals
have opposed this plea.
Solicitor General of India Goolam Vahanvati said that sterilisation was
a “quicker” solution. Vahanvati pointed out that rules under the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals envisage formation of a committee to monitor and
manage the problem of stray animals. The panel will have the power to order
sterilisation of dogs, sheltering, vaccination and killing of terminally ill
animals. Its powers also include commissioning a survey of stray dogs and
taking steps to monitor dog-bite cases and initiate measures to tackle it.
The committee will include the BMC commissioner, a veterinary doctor, a
representative of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and two
animal welfare NGOs.
Last year the BMC had allocated Rs 4 crore for the sterilisation
programme, but the amount lapsed as the funds were unused. The state
government said there were three dog pounds in the city and that it was
difficult to provide for such pounds in each of the 24 wards due to a space
crunch.