Delhi HC asks Chief Secretary to implement measures to deal with stray animal menace

Delhi High Court orders Chief Secretary to implement measures to address stray dog and monkey menaces in Capital

The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the Chief Secretary to implement a slew of measures recommended by the heads of various departments to deal with the menace of stray dogs and monkeys in the Capital.

“The Chief Secretary is directed to implement the short-term and long-term measures in accordance with law by issuing directions to specific authorities in a time-bound manner,” a Bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, and added that he should ensure that the Animal Birth Control Rules and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules) Rules should also be complied with.

The court had earlier asked the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting with the heads of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Cantonment Board, and forest department to devise a mechanism to deal with the issue.

It said the meeting will be attended by the secretary of the Animal Welfare Board of Delhi, the Animal Husbandry Department of the Delhi government, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), and the petitioners’ lawyers Rahul Bajaj, Amar Jain and activist Gauri Maulekhi.

The minutes of the meeting, following the court’s direction, stated that deliberations were made on issues like animal control laws, registration of animal birth control (ABC) centres, geo-tagging or micro-chipping animals, environmental modifications, healthcare and veterinary support, public awareness and education and protective measures for vulnerable groups.

The court was hearing a batch of pleas on the issue of stray dogs and monkeys attacking citizens, including differently-abled people.

Published - November 19, 2024 12:54 am IST