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The Supreme Court, while taking into consideration the "alarming rise of dog bite incidents", ordered all states and Union Territories (UTs) on Friday to ensure the removal of all stray dogs. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria stated that all these institutions and places must be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs. What did SC say in its order? The stray dogs should not be released to the same spot from which they were picked up, the bench ordered. It also said that permitting their return would "frustrate the very purpose" of securing such premises and addressing public safety concerns." They will not be released back in the same area since releasing them back will frustrate the very purpose of the directive of the court," said the bench. It will be the responsibility of the concerned local government institutions to collect stray dogs from such institutions/areas and transfer them to designated dog shelters after vaccination and sterilisation in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, the bench directed. Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories shall ensure strict compliance with the order; otherwise, officers will be held personally responsible, it said. A nodal officer will be appointed for surveillance The apex court also stated that a nodal officer must be appointed for the upkeep and surveillance of each such premises, and local municipal authorities and panchayats must conduct periodic inspections for at least three months and report back to the court. It asked the status report to be filed within eight weeks, indicating a mechanism had been developed to carry out directions. Which are the places where has ordered removal of stray dogs? Here is the full list: Check here 1. Every educational institution (School, Colleges etc) 2. Hospitals 3. Public sports complexes 4. Bus stands 5. Railway stations The three-judge bench order came in response to pleas seeking a stay of the August 11 order of a two-judge bench, which had directed the removal of all stray dogs from localities in the Delhi-NCR region and their placement in shelter homes. Meanwhile, the apex court had also expanded the scope of the proceedings on the menace of stray dogs and impleaded all states and Union Territories as parties to the case. The August 11 order was limited to the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) area only. (With ANI inputs)
