HC asks Chief Secretary to implement measures to deal with stray animals menace

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday directed 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 national capital.
     The high court said the chief recommendations mentioned in the minutes of the meeting chaired by the city's top bureaucrat were fair and reasonable.
     The court had earlier passed the directions including asking the chief secretary to convene a meeting with the heads of various authorities to take steps to make Delhi a safe place for children, disabled and elderly persons and protect them from the menace of stray animals.
     "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.
     "The chief secretary shall ensure that the Animal Birth Control Rules and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules) Rules are also complied with," a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.
     The bench asked the chief secretary to file an action taken report within three weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on December 9.
     The court was hearing a batch of pleas on the issue of stray dogs and monkeys attacking citizens including differently-abled people.
     It had earlier directed the Delhi chief secretary to convene a meeting, to be attended by 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 should also 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), petitioners' lawyers Rahul Bajaj and Amar Jain and activist Gauri Maulekhi, the court had said.
     The minutes of the meeting, filed by Delhi government standing counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi, stated that deliberations were made on issues like animal control laws, registration of 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 minutes stated that safeguarding vulnerable groups from stray animals requires coordinated, humane and long-term solutions. A balance between protecting public safety and respecting animal rights is crucial, it said.
     "By combining legal enforcement, public education, environmental modifications and healthcare solutions, communities can create a safer environment for everyone, especially for those who are most at risk.
     "By implementing these measures, Delhi can reduce the risk of stray animals and promote a safer and more compassionate environment for all," it added.
     It was decided in the meeting that starting with hospitals, public parks and schools, a safer environment can be created for vulnerable groups and pave the way for comprehensive stray animals management in the city.
     The high court had in October directed authorities to shift all the monkeys of the national capital to the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary on priority. It had said stray animals cannot be allowed to take over the city.
     The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea moved by NGO Dhananjay Sanjogta Foundation, represented by Bajaj, who is visually impaired. The plea said besides the attacks, there is a lack of an enabling framework for the use of therapy or service animals by persons with disabilities.
     Bajaj submitted that the Animal Birth Control Rules are in violation of the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Act as those fail to address the issue of stray animal attacks on the differently-abled, who are incapable of defending themselves.
     The white cane used by the visually impaired resembles a stick that the animals perceive as a threat and therefore, attack, he added.
     The bench had said PwDs have a fundamental right to walk on the city streets and some people have this notion that specially-abled persons do not have any right.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)