Commissioner SMC Also Asked To Provide Details of Sterilization Centers

Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has directed the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, to indicate the steps taken to deal with the menace of dog biting and details of sterilization centers in the city.
As soon as hearing in a Public interest Litigation started before a division bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Puneet Gupta, counsel appearing for the government and SMC prayed for four weeks time to file the compliance report in terms of the previous directions. Subsequently the court granted the four weeks’ time.
“Respondent no. 2 (Commissioner SMC) shall indicate the steps taken to deal with the menace of dog biting and details of sterilization centers, they have established in the city of Srinagar,” the court said.
On the previous date of hearing the court had reiterated its directions to the Commissioner regarding the details of the number of stray dogs roaming in the City of Srinagar. The Commissioner is also required to submit the details about the issue of animal birth control and setting up of Anti-rabies Centres. He has been also asked to submit the action plan of the Corporation for containing the menace of stray dogs and particularly dog bites as also the spread of rabies.
The Commissioner is also required to indicate as to whether public advisories have been issued in Print and Electronic Media, indicating the Do’s and Don’ts, in order to avoid dog bites.
Authorities had also been asked to indicate the steps taken for dealing with the complaints filed by the various persons, social activists and victims about the dog bites.
The petitioner—law students of Central University of Kashmir— have submitted before the court that about 90,000 stray dogs are roaming in Srinagar city only and that there have been several instances about the death of some minor children attacked by the stray dogs at different places in and around the Srinagar City.

KR Desk