Delhi HC cracks down on stray dog issue with suo motu PIL

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday initiated a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) to oversee the implementation of the Supreme Court's directions on the management of stray dogs in the national capital. "I don't know about Delhi, but in Rajasthan, there are two groups - one against pets and the other dog lovers. We have to strike a balance. These days there is a big fight between dog lovers and dog haters. The common man is really troubled. There are dog bite incidents every day. The monkey menace is even more serious," the bench observed. A division bench of Justice Dinesh Mehta and Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta issued notices to the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Union government, seeking their response in the matter. The Bench directed the Delhi government and MCD to file a comprehensive status report detailing the steps taken up to July 31 to implement the Supreme Court's directions in the national capital. The report must be submitted a day before the next hearing. When counsel for the Delhi government informed the court that the authorities were working on the issue, the Bench expressed concern over the rising stray dog population, observing that the problem was evident even within the Delhi High Court premises. "There are too many stray dogs. Even in the High Court premises, I see many dogs wearing collars. Are they trained dogs? Does the High Court own them? Whenever I visit the S Block, I find several dogs there. Are they pets? I don't know. They are Indian dogs," the Bench remarked. The proceedings were initiated in compliance with the Supreme Court's direction requiring all high courts to register suo motu cases in their respective jurisdictions to monitor the implementation of its orders. The apex court has also held state chief secretaries personally accountable for ensuring compliance. The matter has been listed for further hearing on August 3. The proceedings arise from the Supreme Court's May 19 judgment, which laid down a series of directions to address the stray dog issue across the country. The apex court ruled that stray dogs removed from public institutions and high-footfall public places, including schools, hospitals, bus depots and railway stations, should not be released back to the same locations after sterilisation and vaccination. The court also permitted the euthanasia of rabid or severely aggressive dogs in accordance with the law and directed authorities to establish designated feeding zones in public areas. Additionally, the Supreme Court instructed every high court to register a suo motu writ petition to monitor compliance with its directions in their respective states and Union Territories. It also authorised High Courts to initiate appropriate action, including contempt proceedings against officials for non-compliance or wilful disregard of its orders, while making state chief secretaries personally responsible for ensuring their effective implementation.