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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
MCD identifies land to build stray dog shelters in Delhi following Supreme Court order
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has identified land to build stray dog shelters following a series of marathon meetings since Monday in the wake of the Supreme Court order directing authorities in Delhi-NCR to remove all stray dogs from public spaces and permanently relocate them to shelters within eight weeks. An MCD official said the municipality has vacant lands available for shelters, which can be constructed after Thursday's hearing on the matter. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan on August 11 directed the relocation of stray dogs to shelters. The suo motu matter was Wednesday referred to a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria, which is set to hear it Thursday. The MCD official said the process of relocating stray dogs has already started. 'In phase 1, we caught around 150 aggressive dogs after identifying them and upon receiving complaints from the resident welfare association. We can accommodate at least 2,000 dogs in the existing facility of Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres (facilities for sterilising and vaccinating stray dogs to control their population).' 'If the Supreme Court orders to relocate the dogs, we will build a shelter on 3 acres of MCD land located in Dwarka which can easily accommodate up to 2,000-3,000 dogs,' the official said, adding that majority of the dog can be relocated in phase 3 by building a shelter on the 82 acres of land in the Ghogha village. 'However, this can start only if we can get funds from the Centre or the Delhi government since it will require taking permanent care of the dogs, including food, shelter and treatment,' the official added. As of Wednesday night, approximately 300 dogs have been picked up from the Red Fort area over the past three days, and verbal orders have been issued to the ABC centres not to release them back. 'We have stationed our vans around the clock at the Red Fort and instructed the ABC centres not to release any dogs,' said the MCD official. While pronouncing the August 11 order, the Supreme Court said that 'there should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise' and warned that 'if any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking up stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance'. This order has received mixed reactions; some welcome it as a necessary measure for public safety, while animal rights activists and welfare groups termed it impractical. They stated that the order violated the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, which require that after vaccination, dogs should be returned to the same locality from where they were picked up.
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
Dogs matter more to Indian middle class than people
There are answers to these questions and we give them all the time. Yes, India has always been a land of contrasts. And yes, poverty exists in the country, but it's much less than before and we have the figures to prove it. And so on. How, they ask, can we go blithely about our lives, ignoring the people who sleep on our pavements, the small children forced to work to survive, and the physically disabled individuals who thrust the stumps of their arms or legs forward as they beg for a living? Visitors to India are often shocked by the contrasts they see on our streets. There is extreme wealth visible — even more than before as conspicuous consumption has increased over the last decade of big diamonds and bigger weddings— but there is also extreme poverty. While these responses may make logical sense, they don't really address the fundamental question many Western visitors have about the Indian middle class: have we been so brutalised by the misery we see every day that we've learned to blind ourselves to suffering? Have we become immune to horrifying poverty and deprivation? Why doesn't the Indian middle class step out and do something about the tragedies unfolding on our streets? To that, we finally have an answer. India's middle class has spent the past few days shedding tears for the suffering of street dwellers. We have demonstrated on the roads of our cities. We have railed against the authorities who have let things get to this stage. We have pledged to help to make things better. It is our duty, we say, to prevent an even greater tragedy by fighting for the rights of those on the streets to live with freedom and dignity. Brutalised? Immune to the suffering around us? Certainly not. We care and our hearts have been deeply touched. But here's the thing. We are not crying for people. We are weeping for dogs. Also read: How Lucknow, Dehradun, Vadodara are fixing their street dog problem No one's denying the problem on streets Before we go any further, a few clarifications. I do not believe we should mistreat animals — and that extends beyond dogs, though I probably draw the line at street rats. I do not support any measure that would cause pain or suffering to street dogs. I respect the sentiments of those protesting the Supreme Court order on Delhi's street dogs, and I understand their point that the solutions suggested by the court may be impractical and could cause the animals harm. I also accept that the time has come for us to do something about street dogs. According to The Times of India, over 10,000 people in the country get bitten by dogs every day. India has among the highest number of rabies deaths (305), nearly double the figure for China, which is number two on the list. However, the newspaper claims this official figure may be an underestimation. The real number could be close to 18,000. And the problem is increasing. The number of dog bite incidents came down during Covid, but has more than doubled since then. So, you would have to be nuts to deny that there is a serious problem. Most sensible people who object to the Supreme Court judgment do not dispute that the problem needs to be fixed. They just think that the court has written out the wrong prescription. For instance, Shekhar Gupta, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief, tweeted: 'Societies/cities have tried methods way more brutal than our hon'ble Supreme Court to 'banish' stray dogs. They've all failed. Here, a picture from Karachi where it's routinely done. Solutions lie in urban reform, sterilisation and empathy. Not retributive mass brutality.' He included a picture of a row of dead dogs to illustrate his concerns. I take his point. There may be much better ways of saving people from dog bites and the scourge of rabies and we should explore and examine them. In my experience, you don't find as many stray dogs in European and American cities. But Bangkok and some other Asian cities have gone through similar public controversies while trying to cope with street dogs (or Soi Dogs as they call them). I am not sure that the Thais have found the right answer yet, but my own sense (based on anecdotal evidence and personal experience rather than any data) is that it is now less dangerous to walk on Bangkok's streets than it was a decade ago; and it's certainly less dangerous than Delhi. And judging by the figures I have seen, Delhi is not even the centre of the problem. Maharashtra has many more dog bite cases than the national capital. So let's agree on a minimum agenda. Ignore all those who say that nothing needs to be done and street dogs should roam free even if they bite thousands of people every day. But let's respect those who argue that we must try and find a solution that is humane but still works. Also read: Stray dogs have the right to live. SC order can trigger a wave of animal cruelty Don't forget who and what we ignore Now that we've got that out of the way, let's go back to where we started. What is it about the Indian middle class that makes us largely immune to human suffering, yet drives us to tears of anger when we hear of the suffering of dogs? And it's just dogs. If the authorities were to round up the pigs that roam the streets of so many of our cities, I doubt we would hear a peep from the dog protesters. Likewise with buffaloes. Why does the middle class not feel as deeply about the homeless people who live on the same streets as the dogs? Why do we find it easier to fight for dogs than the humans who exist at the margins of our society? And that's before we get into politics. Many of the people assailing the humanity of those who want to act against stray dogs could not even find Manipur on a map, let alone care about the lakhs of people whose lives have been destroyed over the past two years or the thousands who have been killed in the conflict. Are human lives worth less than dogs' lives simply because they are lost far away from us? Why do people who complain that our municipalities are incapable of offering proper shelter to dogs not worry about the pathetic shelter offered to refugees and victims of political persecution? Why don't they worry about the brutal ways in which migrants are rounded up and thrown out of their cities? Why, for so many years, did the middle class turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Kashmiri Pandits who lost their homes to ethnic cleansing? Why do we look away when we hear stories about state governments bulldozing people's homes on the flimsiest of pretexts? Why have we stopped paying attention to stories about men being lynched on suspicion of transporting beef? I could go on but I think you get the point. I am no one to be judgmental about others. I belong to the same middle class and I am also guilty of callous neglect. But when you see the uproar about dogs, don't you ever stop to think if our self-obsessed middle class has got to the stage where dogs matter more than people? Let's fight to treat dogs humanely. But let's not forget the humans who are routinely denied their rights and their dignity. Vir Sanghvi is a print and television journalist, and talk show host. He tweets @virsanghvi. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
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Business Standard
3 hours ago
- Business Standard
SC issues guidelines on handling of stray dogs amid backlash: Details
The Supreme Court on Wednesday released a detailed directive on the treatment of stray dogs, following its August 11 ruling in which authorities were asked to remove all canines from the streets of Delhi-NCR within eight weeks. In its directive, the top court has laid down strict guidelines to ensure humane treatment, proper sheltering, and accountability in the handling of stray dogs. The move drew protests, political backlash, and criticism from animal rights groups. On Wednesday, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai also agreed to re-examine the order, with a new bench hearing it on Thursday. What's the latest? Elaborating on the August 11 verdict, the Supreme Court released a set of rules that were to be followed by the authorities while capturing the dogs and relocating them to shelters. However, it maintained that the sterilised dogs cannot return to the streets. In the directive, it also mentioned that the decision was deliberated, not rushed. Focusing on safety of children, elderly, and homeless, the court stressed that law must protect the most marginalised, not just the privileged. Shelter mandate All stray dogs are to be rounded up and kept in shelters and should not be released back to the streets Shelters for at least 5,000 dogs are to be set up in 6–8 weeks Humane treatment Dogs must not face cruelty, starvation, overcrowding, or neglect At least two responsible persons to be present at all times Duty roster required for round-the-clock supervision Veterinary care The dogs should receive timely care by trained vets Weak/vulnerable dogs to be housed separately as far as possible Record keeping and accountability All captured dogs are to be logged and identified Any negligent release will invite strictest action possible against responsible officials Adoption guidelines Adoption is allowed but only under May 17, 2022 AWBI protocol Adopted dogs cannot be released back to public spaces Any violations will have serious consequences Why it matters The Supreme Court ruling has drawn sharp criticism from animal rights organisations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). Protests also broke out on Monday evening with numerous demonstrators marching up to India Gate. Many of them were detained by the Delhi police. Several leaders opposed the move, including the Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who called it "a step back from decades of humane policy". Environmentalist and former Minister of Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, said the order is given "out of anger", suggesting a lack of sensibility. Taking cognisance of these developments, CJI Gavai assured that he will re-examine the apex court's ruling. A fresh three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria is scheduled to hear the suo motu case today. Dog bite cases on the rise Citing data from the Press Information Bureau, the SC said that the dog bite cases have been on the rise. The cases of dog bites have increased over the last 3 years; in Delhi alone, there were 25,201 dog bites, it said. If figures of January are any indication, the cases of dog bites have increased by 50 per cent, the top court said. In January, there were a total of 3,196 cases in the national capital.
