5 days ago
Noida, Greater Noida ready shelters after SC's order
Civic authorities in Noida and Greater Noida are gearing up to comply with a Supreme Court directive to capture all stray dogs across NCR within eight weeks and house them in dedicated shelters. The order, issued on Monday, bars the release of captured dogs back onto the streets, marking a significant departure from existing animal control rules. Animal welfare groups have argued that the directive contradicts the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023, which require sterilised and vaccinated dogs to be returned to their original territories. (HT Archives)
While both Noida and Greater Noida officials said they have not yet received an official copy of the order, they have indicated readiness to act. Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M said the city already has shelters built in collaboration with public welfare associations. 'We will implement the order and put the stray dogs into shelters, which are already built,' he said.
Greater Noida authority's officer on special duty, Girish Kumar Jha, said his office would comment further once it had the directive in hand.
In recent months, Noida has set up new shelters in Sectors 34 and 135 to house aggressive or problematic strays from nearby residential areas.
Each facility spans at least 2,000 square metres and includes kennels, an operation theatre for sick or injured dogs, and other veterinary services. Together, they currently accommodate about 300 dogs.
Officials had earlier planned two additional shelters in Sectors 50 and 93B, but the projects were shelved due to funding constraints. Instead, work is underway on a 4-acre dog shelter and hospital to address the growing number of complaints about strays. This comes in addition to the city's older animal shelter in Sector 94, which is spread over 10 acres and already houses around 700 stray dogs -- well over its intended capacity.
Authorities estimate there are at least 100,000 stray dogs in Noida.
'Given the population size, we need a cluster approach, with each group of sectors having its own shelter away from residential areas,' said Rajiva Singh, president of the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Associations. He suggested that resident bodies, NGOs, and civic authorities jointly manage shelter operations, feeding, and care for unwell dogs.
However, not all residents are convinced the order is workable.
'We are talking of thousands of dogs to be caught. That would in itself require a huge workforce. After that is putting them in a compound. Dogs operate in gangs and are territorial in nature, so you need 24/7 monitoring. Remember a similar diktat was given by the courts for cattle... What happened? You still see multitudes of cattle on the roads. Giving a ruling is one thing; getting it done is a totally different ball game. If they would have included culling, then I would have openly declared it a huge verdict, which would have had a great effect, but they gave a toothless ruling,' said Navneet Chandra, former apartment owners association president of Krishna Apra Residency and a pet lover.
Animal welfare groups have argued that the directive contradicts the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023, which require sterilised and vaccinated dogs to be returned to their original territories.
'Noida over 120,000–130,000 stray dogs,' said Dr Sanjay Mahapatra, an animal activist. 'It is practically impossible to build and maintain enough shelters for such numbers. Overcrowding will cause immense suffering, spread disease, and lead to deaths. This is not public safety; it is an inhumane approach that will backfire.'
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