Uttarakhand: About 1278 people rescued in Uttarkashis Dharali
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Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
One SC order, million problems: How removing over 10 lakh+ dogs could lead to zoonotic diseases & more aggressive strays
The Supreme Court's directive to move all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR into shelters has set off a scramble among civic authorities -- and an outcry from animal welfare advocates -- over what many are calling an 'unworkable' order. On Monday, the apex court described the stray dog menace as 'extremely grim' and ordered the Delhi government and municipal bodies to pick up strays from all localities and keep them in shelters. It warned of strict action against anyone obstructing the drive. According to the data of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and various surveys, Delhi alone has an estimated stray dog population of around 10 lakh. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The ruling comes amid growing public anger over dog bite incidents in the region. However, as both officials and activists point out, the immediate challenge is the lack of infrastructure and funds to house the vast number of stray animals -- which also pose the risk of becoming breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases. Activists warn of 'vacuum effect' and health risks Animal welfare advocates argue that the order not only ignores ground realities but could worsen the problem. Ambika Shukla, trustee at People For Animals, wrote in The Times of India that 'without any meaningful discussion or ground-level consultation,' the Supreme Court had given an unprecedented order that fails to account for the lack of census data, infrastructure, budget, and trained manpower. Live Events Shelters, she warned, could become breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases like leptospirosis, mange, and parvovirus-- citing past outbreaks in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Mumbai. Removing territorial, sterilised dogs could also trigger the 'vacuum effect', allowing unvaccinated, more aggressive dogs to move in. Instead, Shukla and others advocate strengthening ABC programmes, which they say have reduced rabies cases nationwide from 20,000 annually to just 54. A Rs 15,000 crore challenge Former Union minister and animal rights advocate Maneka Gandhi called the plan impractical. 'You have three lakh dogs in Delhi. To get them all off the roads, you'll have to make 3,000 pounds (enclosures), each with drainage, water, a shed, a kitchen, and a watchman. That will cost about Rs 15,000 crore. Does Delhi have Rs 15,000 crore for this?' she told PTI. Feeding the impounded dogs, she added, would require another Rs 5 crore every week. Gandhi also warned of unintended ecological consequences. 'Within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad, Faridabad because there's food in Delhi. And once you remove the dogs, monkeys will come on the ground… In Paris in the 1880s, when they removed dogs and cats, the city was overrun with rats,' she said, calling dogs 'rodent control animals'. Instead of relocation, Gandhi argued for strict enforcement of existing measures: sterilisation, anti-rabies and distemper vaccinations, a ban on relocation, and close monitoring of Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres. Municipal bodies caught off guard Hours after the ruling, Gurgaon Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya instructed officers to start planning for implementation. But as Dahiya told The Times of India, 'We will first study the Supreme Court order and then decide on the further course of action. Yes, we must allocate space to set up dog shelters in the city. But we will have to determine whether these shelters will be set up zone-wise or ward-wise.' In Gurgaon, the task is daunting: 50,000 stray dogs, but only two operational shelters -- each with a capacity of 50 animals -- and two more under construction. The Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which require sterilised dogs to be returned to their original locations, meant large-scale shelter infrastructure was never developed. In Ghaziabad, the last census recorded 48,000 stray dogs. According to Dr Anuj Singh, chief veterinary officer at the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, 'We have been sterilising 25 dogs a day at the Animal Birth Control Centre here. But without a shelter, housing these animals is a significant challenge.' Noida's situation is worse. With no official census, estimates run as high as 1.5 lakh strays -- and only four private shelters to house them. The city also reported 73,754 street dog bite cases in the past seven months. The road ahead: Eight weeks, no clear plan The Supreme Court has given civic bodies just eight weeks to comply. That means building or expanding shelters, arranging food and veterinary care, hiring trained staff, and securing budgets running into hundreds of crores -- all in under two months. Meanwhile, sterilisation contracts in several NCR cities are expiring this year, leaving even population control efforts in limbo. For now, municipal commissioners across NCR are convening emergency meetings. But the gap between judicial mandate and administrative capacity remains vast. As one Gurgaon official told ToI: 'On paper, the order is clear. On the ground, it's almost impossible.' With inputs from ToI
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Uttarkashi: NGRI experts launch search operation to trace 66 missing in disaster-hit Dharal
Equipped with Ground Penetrating Radars , experts from the National Geophysical Research Institute ( NGRI ) on Tuesday launched a search operation to trace the 66 people, including 24 Nepali labourers, reported missing since raging waters and mudslides buried virtually half of Dharali village in Uttarkashi a week ago. The team of experts, which reached the flood-ravaged site on Monday evening, will identify and focus on places where there may be human presence under the debris, they said. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Ground Penetrating Radars (GPRs) is a geophysical method that uses radio waves to detect objects and structures below the surface. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The 5 Books Warren Buffett Recommends You To Read in 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The NGRI had used its GPRs to locate people trapped in the SLBC tunnel collapse in Telangana in February this year. These radars of NGRI can detect human life even in the presence of mud and water, the officials said, adding that the GPR surveys will also detect anomalies within the debris. Live Events On Monday, incessant rain in various parts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, had hampered the search and rescue operations in Dharali village as well as efforts to restore road connectivity to the flood-hit areas of the district. According to officials, 24 Nepali labourers and 42 others are reported missing since the tragedy struck the village on August 5. The JCB operator engaged in restoring road connectivity to the affected area went missing after it fell into the surging waters of the Bhagirathi river. A search is underway to locate him, the officials said. Dehradun was also lashed by heavy rain on Monday, resulting in waterlogging at various areas. More than 1,300 people have been evacuated since the start of air rescue operations after the disaster. Foodgrains, edible items and essentials like clothes, gumboots and sleeping bags etc have been provided to the affected people in adequate quantity, they said. Forty-three people were reported missing in the disaster, out of which the body of Akash Panwar, a youth from Dharali village, was recovered a few days back, Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey had said on Monday. The ex-gratia announced by the state government as immediate relief has also been provided to the family of the deceased youth, he said. The 42 who still remain missing include nine army personnel, eight residents of Dharali village, five from nearby areas, one person from Tehri district, 13 from Bihar and six from Uttar Pradesh. Apart from these, 29 Nepali labourers were also reported missing initially, out of which five have been contacted after the restoration of mobile network in the area, he said. More details about the remaining 24 labourers like their mobile numbers and places where they hailed from have been sought from their contractors, he said. Distribution of an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each as immediate relief among the affected people is going on, he said, adding that a larger package of relief and rehabilitation is being prepared for them. The state government, quoting the Meteorological Department, said that the weather will remain bad for the next few days with heavy rain predicted in the state on August 13, 14 and 15.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
World Elephant Day observed with a call for human-elephant co-existence
Majuli (Assam) [India], August 12 (ANI): World Elephant Day is observed annually on August 12 to promote the conservation and protection of elephants while addressing the growing issue of human-elephant conflict. The day aims to ensure that elephants can thrive without clashes with human an increasing human population, elephant habitats are shrinking, forcing these majestic animals to venture into human settlements in search of food. In Majuli, a herd of about 150 elephants has been roaming across different chars and chaporis for several years. However, unlike many other places, Majuli has not experienced severe human-elephant Majuli Forest Department has taken special measures to monitor the elephants in these areas and ensure that, if they enter human settlements, they are guided back to the forests. On this occasion, the department expressed hope for a future free from human-elephant conflict, fostering peaceful forest officer, Garmur range, Abhijeet Doley said to ANI, 'Not only World Elephant Day, but every day is important for us. Over the past 2-3 months, we have observed a large elephant herd travelling across the Chapori areas in different locations under the Majuli division. We are continuously monitoring the movement of these elephants and working to prevent conflict situations in the Chapori areas." Abhijeet highlighted the reason for the conflict and added, 'The human population in the Chapori areas is increasing, while protected areas are declining. These Chapori areas have belonged to elephants for a very long time. Since humans have now settled in these regions, I request everyone to coexist with the wild animals."'My message to the people is simple — respect wild animals. I understand that sometimes they damage khutis (bamboo structures) or destroy crops, paddy, and other resources. But somehow, we must try to accept these challenges. We are doing everything possible to minimise such losses. Therefore, my appeal to those living in the Chapori areas is: please respect our elephants and rhinos–they are a part of us," he further added. (ANI)
