By News18

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New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has directed its veterinary teams across all zones to identify designated feeding spots for stray dogs in compliance with a Supreme Court order issued last month.
The directive issued on Wednesday instructed officials to work with area councillors and Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) to earmark feeding points in every municipal ward.
The details, including geo-locations and addresses of these sites, are to be compiled and submitted to the commissioner’s office for filing before the Supreme Court.
Officials said the identified points will serve as regulated spaces where stray dogs can be fed under supervision, reducing the practice of feeding them in random public areas.
“This step will help bring a balance between compassion for animals and the concerns of residents about safety and hygiene,” an MCD official said.
The move comes after the apex court, through its order dated August 22 in Suo Motu Writ Petition, directed civic authorities to ensure designated feeding points for stray dogs to avoid conflicts between feeders and residents, while safeguarding public health and animal welfare.
The directive has been circulated to deputy commissioners of all zones, the additional commissioner (veterinary services), and other senior officials for immediate implementation.
Additionally, on August 22, the Supreme Court modified its earlier August 11 direction prohibiting the release of stray dogs from shelters in Delhi-NCR, and said that picked-up canines should be sterilised, vaccinated, and released back into the same area.
A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath made it clear that this relocation shall not apply to dogs infected with rabies, suspected to be infected with rabies, or those displaying aggressive behaviour.
The bench directed municipal authorities to create dedicated feeding spaces where people can feed stray dogs. It said the feeding areas should be created by civic bodies, keeping in view the population and concentration of stray dogs in particular municipal wards.
The bench also made it clear that feeding of stray dogs shall not be permitted on the streets. PTI NSM NSM MPL MPL