Ulterior financial motives driving opposition to SC order on stray dogs, allege city advocates
They say certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and commercial stakeholders linked to dog sterilisation and vaccine supply may have much to lose if the SC ruling is implemented in full.
Senior advocate Firdos Mirza said he had raised the issue while pleading another case at Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court. "I said it in the court that there seems to be some vested interest of NGOs for putting stray dogs before the safety of human beings.
Any species, as a natural instinct, prioritises protecting its own. So, humans will always rush to first save a human if he or she is in danger. If this natural instinct is not being adhered to, it means there must be some big incentive to do so," Mirza said.
Mirza pointed out that under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, approximately Rs850 is given as funds per dog for sterilisation. "I heard about a civic official who was suspended after allegations that he had his own NGO which was implementing the ABC programme.
With approximately 1.5 lakh street dogs in Nagpur, you can calculate the financial incentive when multiplied by Rs850 per canine," he said.
Advocate Wilson Matthew added that the scale of the rabies vaccine market also raises questions about ulterior financial motives. "Around 3,000 dog-bite cases are recorded in Nagpur every year. Each vial of anti-rabies vaccine costs around Rs350, with a complete course requiring five doses. Govt hospitals often report shortages, while private facilities seem to have adequate stock. Nationwide, lakhs of dog-bite cases and 18,000-20,000 rabies deaths are reported annually, sustaining India's Rs5,000 crore vaccine industry.
Given this scale, some believe opposition to controlling stray dog numbers could indirectly serve the commercial interests of vaccine manufacturers," he said.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your
city
on
Times of India
(TOI). Check upcoming
bank holidays
,
public holidays
, and current
gold rates
and
silver prices
in your area.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
a minute ago
- New Indian Express
SC order not a quick fix, ineffective ABCs, lack of data worsen crisis
CHENNAI: The keenness expressed by Municipal Administration Minister K N Nehru on Tuesday to implement the Supreme Court's order to remove stray dogs from the streets appeared to be an indication of a quick fix after failing to effectively implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for over two decades. Activists point out that, despite spending tens of crores every year, the stray population remained much higher than official estimates. To start with, there is no reliable state-wide data on the stray population. According to the nation-wide Livestock Census done in 2019, TN had 4.41 lakh stray dogs. Of the 25 municipal corporations, only four have completed surveys in the last two years. Tambaram recently undertook a survey, estimating around 45,000 dogs. The data from four corporations (Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode and Vellore) show that they together have roughly 3.3 lakh dogs, which is nearly 75% of the state-wide population in 2019, indicating the rapid growth the state seems to have witnessed, particularly during and post-Covid. As per this data, Chennai has 1.8 lakh strays, but the actual numbers could be 2.2-2.3 lakh, sources said. Of the strays in these four corporations, only a meagre 19.8% have undergone ABC procedure. Local bodies should ideally target sterilising 70%-80% of the dogs in a ward in a city over a period of 5-10 years. A meagre 20% coverage would leave the remaining to reproduce at an average of 4-6 pups per litter. Shravan Krishnan, director of Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary, said instead of trying to implement the unviable suggestion of the SC, local body officials who failed to properly implement ABC should be pulled up. The worsening of the problem is evident from the rise in dog-bite cases as well. According to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme data, cases rose from 3.6 lakh in 2022 to 4.8 lakh in 2024 in TN.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP MLA Mahesh Landge calls for ‘Delhi pattern' for stray dog control in Maha
PUNE: Amid a surge in cases of dog bites, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bhosari, Mahesh Landge, has urged the Maharashtra government to adopt what he calls the 'Delhi pattern' for stray dog control based on the recent Supreme Court (SC) order for the National Capital Region (NCR). Mumbai, India - March 24, 2022: MLA Mahesh Landge protests against disconnection of electricity at Pimpri-Chinchwad during the State Budget Session at Vidhan Bhavan, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO) The apex court in its August 11 order has directed Delhi-NCR authorities to permanently relocate all stray dogs to shelters, citing an 'extremely grim' situation of dog bites causing rabies, especially among children. The SC has ordered the creation of shelters for 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks and warned of strict action, including contempt, against any obstruction. Following in the footsteps of the SC, Landge, in a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, has stressed that the stray dog problem in major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Solapur and Kolhapur needs urgent intervention. He has written that many children, senior citizens, and common people have been injured and in some cases, even died, due to rabies. Landge has requested that a state-level, toll-free helpline be launched specifically for complaints about dog bites. He has emphasised the need for special monitoring of key areas such as schools, anganwadis, parks, and gardens to ensure safety. Additionally, he has called for legal protection and training to officers and staff involved in managing the campaign against dog bites. The letter has advocated strict action against anyone obstructing the operations in place to protect the community. 'This is not just a sanitation issue; it is directly linked to the health and safety of citizens. Following the SC's approach in Delhi, Maharashtra must also act immediately. Citizen safety and public health must be the top priority, and I am confident that the chief minister (CM) will respond positively to this demand,' Landge said. Apart from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad too, has seen a sharp rise in the cases of dog bites with the number of such cases nearly tripling in the past eight years. According to Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) data, cases have increased from 10,533 in 2016-17 to 28,099 in 2024-25. The upward trend continues this year, with 11,350 cases reported till July 25, 2025.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Animal birth control centres remain shut amid rise in dog bite cases
PUNE: While there is a surge in cases of dog bites in the city, two facilities that conduct the animal birth control (ABC) programme are closed since the past three months. What's more, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reported a rise in cases of dog bites despite a fall in the population of stray dogs in the city. Patiala, India- 16 July 2016:::: Stray dogs in Patiala on Saturday, July 16, 2016. Photo by Bharat Bhushan Hindustan Times The PMC veterinary department has appointed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to carry out the ABC programme at five locations namely Mundhwa, Wadki, Holkarwadi, Katraj, Baner, and Naidu hospital. Under the ABC programme, around 4,000 stray dogs are sterilised and vaccinated on a monthly basis, with about 300 sterilisations and vaccinations carried out at each facility every month. However, the facilities at Baner and Naidu hospital are closed since the past three months. While the facility at Naidu hospital has been shut due to ongoing roadwork, the one at Baner has been closed for electrical maintenance; officials said. As a result, the sterilisation drive has been severely hampered which in turn has affected the goal of effectively controlling the stray dog population in the city. Following the merger of 34 villages with the PMC, there is a need for more such facilities carrying out the ABC programme. Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, chief veterinary officer, PMC, said that the road department is carrying out resurfacing work near Naidu hospital due to which there is no access to that facility. Last month, the veterinary department has written to both the road and electrical departments, urging them to complete the pending road- and electrical maintenance- works on priority; Dr Funde-Bhosale said. 'The prolonged closure of the two facilities is affecting our ABC programme, which is critical for public safety,' she said. When contacted, Aniruddha Pawaskar, head, road department, PMC, said that he will look into the issue. Of the Baner facility, Dr Funde-Bhosale said, 'We are following up with the electrical department to carry out repair work on priority. We have also told the NGO to inform us if they do not want to conduct the ABC programme so that we can then appoint another organisation to conduct the same.' When contacted, Manisha Shekatkar, head, electrical department, PMC, said, 'I am unaware of any such correspondence received from the veterinary department.' As per the last stray dog Census carried out by the PMC in May 2023, the estimated stray dog population in the city has reduced from 315,000 in 2018 to 179,940 in 2023; officials said. The 34 villages merged with the PMC were not part of the last Census. Still, no ABC programme has been carried out in these villages which alone have a stray dog population of over 1.50 lakh.
