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New Delhi: Hours after the Supreme Court ordered authorities in Delhi and the NCR to capture all stray dogs within eight weeks, establish dedicated shelters, and ban their release back onto the streets, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta announced that her government would soon unveil a comprehensive policy to address the issue.
"Delhi people are fed up of stray dogs. We have been discussing this issue for a long time. The Supreme Court's directions are important. We want to provide relief to people. The problem has assumed a gigantic proportion. We will form a policy and provide relief to people," Gupta told reporters in the national capital.
Calling the stray dog menace "extremely grim" the Supreme Court in a landmark order on Monday said that shelters must be set up to accommodate around 5,000 dogs in Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram and staffed with personnel to sterilise, vaccinate these animals. The SC has also warned that any individual or organisation obstructing the removal of stray dogs would face contempt proceedings. It also said that no dogs should be allowed back on the roads in the capital.
"Our aim is to make Delhi's streets safe for everyone. We cannot let fear dictate how people, especially children, move around in their own neighbourhoods," Gupta said. "We respect the Supreme Court's urgency on this matter and will work closely with all agencies to ensure timely and effective implementation."
The court's directions come amid a spike in dog bite cases, including fatal rabies incidents. A suo motu case was registered on July 28 following reports of multiple deaths. Among the cases was that of a six-year-old girl.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained several animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers, and dog lovers protesting at India Gate against the order. "We are not being allowed to protest. We want the dogs to be protected. They have no shelter homes to accommodate so many dogs. In the end, they will throw all the dogs outside Delhi, where they will die," one caregiver told ANI.
Calling the SC order "impractical and illogical", PETA India Advocacy Associate Shaurya Agrawal said Delhi's estimated 10 lakh stray dogs could not realistically be housed in shelters. "Housing them is impractical and very difficult. This is going to create chaos and problems. Removal of dogs is inhumane, cruelty in itself, and the conditions within the shelters are going to be very bad," he told ANI, adding that they were exploring all legal options.
