New Delhi [India], August 22 : Reacting to the Supreme Court order about feeding stray dogs in dedicated areas and releasing them after sterilisation and immunisation, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury on Friday welcomed the order and expressed hopes that the Court will ensure the proper implementation of the directive.
While speaking to ANI, Chowdhury said, "I am happy that the SC has upheld the constitutional right for all living beings to live with dignity and compassion. It is the essence of our country. Citizens have always looked after animals and strays... Prima facie, I welcome this order and I hope that the Supreme Court will follow through to see that the order they have given is executed in terms of dedicated feeding spaces, that adequate sterilisation and medical care and measures will be taken and will address cruelty against animals..."
She further added, "I am grateful to the SC and hope that the dogs that were taken away will be released back into their familiar surroundings. This is going to help restore balance in these areas..."
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court modified its August 11 order, which had directed the rounding up of all stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR and prohibited their release from dog shelters. The court now allows the release of stray dogs back to the same area after sterilisation and immunisation.
A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria ruled that stray dogs must be released after sterilisation and immunisation, except those infected with rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour.
The court said that infected stray dogs shall be sterilised and immunised, but under no circumstances shall they be released back into the streets, and as far as possible, they shall be kept in separate shelters or pounds after sterilisation and immunisation.
"The dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and released back to the same area from where they were picked up," it said while modifying the August 11 order, which directed that stray dogs shall not be released.
The bench also restricted public feeding of stray dogs and directed the MCD to create dedicated feeding spaces in each municipal ward.
"Under no condition shall the feeding of stray dogs on the streets be permitted. Dedicated feeding spaces of stray dogs to be created. There have been instances due to such feeding instances," said the bench.
The top court ordered that the feeding area shall be identified keeping in view the population of stray dogs in the ward, and notice boards must be placed mentioning that stray dogs shall be fed only in such areas.
It further ordered that persons found feeding the dogs in contravention of its direction shall be liable to be proceeded with under the relevant framework.
The apex court further stated that municipal authorities shall create a dedicated helpline number for reporting violations of its directions on feeding of stray dogs, and appropriate action must be taken against the NGOs or individuals concerned in case of violation of its order.
"No individual or organisation shall cause hindrance to the effective implementation of the directions given above. In case, any public servant is obstructed, the violators will be liable to face prosecution for obstruction of discharge of public duty," ordered the bench.
It also said that desirous animal lovers shall be free to move an application to the concerned municipal authorities for the adoption of street dogs, upon which the identified selected dogs shall be tagged and given to him/her and it shall be the responsibility of the individual to ensure that the adopted dogs do not return to the streets.