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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Chennai has 1.8 lakh stray dogs: Corporation tells Madras High Court
There are around 1.8 lakh stray dogs within the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits, according to a survey conducted in coordination with the United Kingdom-based Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS), the civic body told the Madras High Court on Thursday (August 14, 2025). In a report filed before Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan, the GCC said it was working towards 'Rabies-free Chennai', and that a mass anti-rabies vaccination camp for both street dogs and pet dogs had commenced on August 9, 2025. The corporation said it had planned to cover all 200 divisions in its 15 zones within 60 days. The report was filed in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition, which had expressed concerns over the agony faced by humans, especially kids, due to dog bites. Filing the report on behalf of the GCC, its Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) J. Kamal Hussain said the corporation had made it mandatory for pet owners to obtain online pet licence by uploading photographs of both the owners as well as the pets, their residential proof, and anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) certificates. So far, 11,630 online pet licences had been issued on condition that the pet owners would be responsible for controlled breeding, immunisation, neutering and licensing. Further, the licencees had been advised to ensure that their pets do not cause nuisance to others or public health hazard. One of the other conditions imposed on the licencees was that no pet owner should allow their pets to defecate on roads, streets, drains, and so on, and that if any pet was found defecating on the road/street/drain, it would be the duty of the owner to clear the excreta in a disposable bag. The CVO said the corporation council had passed a resolution on January 30, 2025, for mandatory microchipping of pet dogs too. Stray dogs Listing out the measures taken so far for controlling stray dogs in Chennai city limits, Mr. Hussain said, the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, require the civic body to leave the stray dogs back at the place from where they were picked up for the purpose of sterilisation and vaccination. Accordingly, the stray dogs were being captured and taken to the five Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres at Pulianthope, Llyods Colony, Kannammapettai, Meenambakkam, and Shozhinganallur, and then being released back at places from where they had been captured, he said. In 2022, 16,591 stray dogs were captured from across Chennai and 16,591 of them were found fit for surgery. Similarly, in 2023, 19,640 dogs were captured and 14,885 of them were found fit for surgery. In 2024, 20,296 dogs were captured and 14,678 were found fit for surgery, the CVO told the court. He said, the corporation had decided to establish 10 more ABC centres across the city and that their construction would be completed within three months. After the completion of those new centres, the civic body had proposed to conduct about 50,000 surgeries per year. Stating that the strays get captured using butterfly nets, the officer told the court that the corporation operates 23 properly designed dog transporting vans, and that it had planned to procure nine more dog vehicles. He said, five dog catchers and a driver was being deputed for each vehicle. Further, the GCC had been following the practice of using QR code collars and micro chipping of stray dogs since November 2024 in order to ensure proper capture and release of the dogs using the latest technology for tracking and tracing the animals, the CVO added. After perusing the report, the judges adjourned the hearing on the PIL petition by three months to await the orders to be passed by the Supreme Court on the issue of handling stray dogs. In the meantime, they advised the corporation to safeguard the interests of both the humans as well as the animals.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Chennai Corporation conservancy workers can protest only in authorised places: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court, on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) observed that the conservancy workers of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) can protest only in authorised places to highlight their grievances over outsourcing of sanitary work in certain zones, and cannot block pavements and pathways outside the Ripon Building. First Division Bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan made the observation while disposing of a public interest litigation petition which complained of pedestrian and vehicular movement having been affected due to the ongoing protests on EVR Periyar Road. The judges said, the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI), which represents the conservancy workers, could make an application to the police seeking permission to conduct the protests in any of the places earmarked by the police and ordered that the latter should consider such plea in accordance with law. D. Thenmozhi, 47, a wholesale trader of groceries and vegetables and also the administrator of Dhanam Charitable Trust based at Wallajahbad in Kancheepuram district, had filed the PIL petition alleging hindrance to free movement of traffic outside the Ripon Building due to the protest. Senior counsel V. Raghavachari, representing the PIL petitioner, complained that the protesters had been occupying the entire stretch of pavement outside the Ripon Building, which houses the headquarters of GCC, for days together for their protest. He said the pavement up to Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Railway station was occupied by them and referred to a notice issued by the Inspector of the jurisdictional Periamet police ptation to UUI on August 7 under Section 41 of the Chennai City Police Act of 1888. The senior counsel said the notice was issued since the protest was being carried out in an unauthorised place by causing great amount of public inconvenience. However, the police did not proceed further and take any action to disperse the protesters from the pavement, he added. On his part, advocate R. Sankarasubbu, representing UUI, said, the workers had a democratic right to indulge in a peaceful protest against their employer and denied the charge of having caused any disturbance to road traffic. He said his client would respond to the Section 41 notice issued by the police and contended that they could not be removed from the place of protest by use of force. Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran said that even the police does not want to use force against the conservancy workers since they belong to the weaker section of society and that it would be better if the protesters disperse from the place on their own. The AAG said that just 100 metres away from the place of demonstration was the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, which was one of the biggest public health facilities in Tamil Nadu. 'Let them peacefully disperse on their own. We do not want to use force, lest it would be construed as if we are harsh to them. We will certainly take care of all their interests,' he said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Control sans cruelty: HC
Chennai: Noting that the menace of stray dogs is found in every city, including Chennai, Madras high court on Friday asserted that the issue must be controlled without committing any cruelty to the animals. "This has to be looked into by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). They must have an action plan to deal with the issue," the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan said. The corporation must have a plan to check attacks by stray dogs on people. Apart from pets, stray dogs become a serious issue, the bench added. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai There must be an exclusive department in the corporation that handles the issue. NGOs can also be involved. The officer (chief veterinary officer, Vepery) who is in charge of the department is summoned to appear before the court on Tuesday (Aug 12) with relevant documents on the action plan, the court said. The bench passed the interim order on a PIL moved by R S Tamilvendan, a resident of Kodambakkam. He wanted the court to direct GCC, directorate of animal husbandry and veterinary services, and district administration to ban or regulate stray dogs. According to the petitioner, these dogs found on most of the roads cause inconvenience to the public. Though the petitioner made a representation to the authorities concerned seeking action dated June 10, so far, no action has been initiated, he said. Therefore, he wanted the court to direct the authorities to come up with a plan to tackle the issue in a time-bound manner fixed by the court. 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. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
IAS officers as government spokespersons: Plea binned, petitioner fined Rs 1 lakh
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by an advocate challenging the appointment of four senior IAS officers as the spokespersons for the Tamil Nadu government. The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan, while trashing the petition, imposed costs of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner, M Sathya Kumar, for filing the petition on frivolous grounds. Observing that no law has been violated by making the appointment, the bench noted that the officers have been appointed as the 'spokespersons of the government, not of any party'. 'Is it violating any law? The appointment is made through a proper channel. They are spokespersons of the government, not of any party. What is wrong in it,' the bench asked the petitioner. However, Sathya Kumar submitted there is no law that provides for such appointment of IAS officers as spokespersons for the government and it is not akin to the Constitution. He also noted no proper G.O. was issued for effecting the appointment. It was effected only through a press release issued by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR). In the petition, he had said there was no legal definition or legislative backing for such an appointment and it risks conflating government communication with the political message as the ruling party may use them for disseminating its messages. He also had alleged such appointment was not backed by any government order, statutory rule or legally framed notification for authorisation. He wanted the court to quash the press release issued by DIPR in this regard.
Time of India
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DMK moves SC against Madras HC order on naming of welfare schemes
Chennai: While state govt has already petitioned Madras high court to modify its order restraining govt from launching any welfare scheme in the name of a living political personality, DMK approached Supreme Court challenging the interim order. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal on Wednesday, the party told high court on Monday. Recording the submissions, the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan observed, "once our order is challenged, we will not pass any further orders. Judicial discipline requires that we do not pass any orders in the matter." The court then decided to defer the hearing of the modification petition for two days and adjourned it to Thursday. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The issue pertains to a plea moved by former AIADMK law minister C Ve Shanmugam, who alleged that the scheme 'Nalam Kaakkum Stalin' named after chief minister M K Stalin was in violation of the guidelines set by Supreme Court and ECI. On July 31, the bench passed an interim order making it clear that all welfare schemes launched by state should be in conformity with the guidelines fixed by Supreme Court and pictures of living political leaders should not be used in such schemes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Aggrieved, state govt submitted that the scheme was introduced in the name of the chief minister of the state, who is a constitutional authority, and it cannot be construed to have been introduced in the name of a political personality. The usage of photos of former chief ministers is also not expressly prohibited under the orders passed by Supreme Court, it added. While the bench was slated to hear the modification petition on Aug 4, state launched the scheme 'Nalam Kaakkum Stalin' on Aug 2.
