Chennai H.C.order on stray dogs news from 'The Hindu

[Guest guest]

*State told to implement Rules on stray dogs *

 

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Special Correspondent

 

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“If implemented properly there will be effective control of the dog

population”

 

“Merely killing dogs will not solve the problem”

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CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State government to take

steps as expeditiously as possible, preferably by December-end, to

effectively implement the provisions of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs)

Rules.

 

Passing orders on a public interest litigation petition filed by Elephant G.

Rajendran of ‘In Defence of Environment and Animals,’ a Division Bench,

comprising Justices P.K. Misra and R. Subbiah, also directed the government

to instruct local authorities to constitute committees and provide other

facilities contemplated under the Rules so that they could be implemented

effectively.

 

In his petition, Mr. Rajendran submitted that he was given to understand

that the government was about to issue directions to the local authorities

to kill stray dogs within a short period. Merely killing the dogs would not

end the menace.

 

He said that the Centre, after considering several factors all over the

country and trying out several methods, had decided to implement the Rules.

If the State government had taken proper steps and implemented the

directions under the law and the Rules, the dog menace would not have been a

problem.

 

If the rules had been properly implemented by the local authorities, there

would have been effective control of the dog population. Till now, the State

government had not taken effective action to implement the rules.

 

The local authorities had not constituted the monitoring committee, the

petitioner submitted.

 

The Bench said that the State government had not filed a counter though time

had been granted for the purpose.