SC slams states, UTs over delay in filing affidavits on stray dogs menace

The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the states and Union territories which have not filed their compliance affidavits in the stray dogs case and said continuous incidents were happening and the country was being shown as down in foreign nationsThe apex court directed the chief secretaries of the states except West Bengal and Telangana to remain present before it on November 3 to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed despite the courts August 22 orderThe top court said except West Bengal Telangana and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi MCD none of the other states and UTs have filed their compliance affidavitsIt is October 27 today No response nothing And continuous incidents are happening Your country is being shown as down in foreign countries a threejudge special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria saidIt noted that pursuant to the August 22 order only three compliance affidavits were filedNotices have been issued to all the states and Union territories As they have not responded let the chief secretaries of all the states other than remain present before this court next Monday at 1030 am along with their respective explanations as to why the compliance affidavits were not filed it saidThe bench noted that during the hearing there was no representation from states which have not filed their affidavitsThe top court was hearing a suo motu case relating to stray dogsOn August 22 the apex court expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond the confines of DelhiNCR and directed that all states and UTs be made parties in the matterIt directed the municipal authorities to file an affidavit of compliance with complete statistics of resources like dog pounds veterinarians dogcatching personnel and speciallymodified vehicles and cages available as on date for the purpose of compliance of the Animal Birth Control ABC RulesThe bench also impleaded all the states and UTs in the matter while observing that application of ABC Rules was uniform all over IndiaDuring the hearing on Monday when one of the advocates referred to some guidelines the bench said Let the authorities come and point that outIt said notices were issued to all the states and UTs on August 22 and it was widely reported as wellYour officers dont read newspapers They dont read social media They want a formal notice to be issued to them The order of August 22 mentioned everything Everyone has reported it that all states and Union territories are being issued notices Dont come up with all these excuses the bench saidThe top court said once the authorities were aware of the development they should have come forward as it was a matter of public interest litigationIt also questioned the Delhi government as to why it has not filed its compliance affidavitThe bench said it would direct the chief secretary of Delhi to appear before it as the compliance affidavit was filed by the MCD and not the Delhi governmentAsk your chief secretary to remain present on November 3 along with an explanation as to why no compliance affidavit has been filed till today You are in Delhi the order was passed in Delhi and in your presence and nothing has happened the bench told the counsel appearing for Delhi governmentThe counsel said Delhi government would file an affidavit before the next date of hearingYou ask him chief secretary to remain present He may file it on that day he may come up with an explanation also Otherwise cost will be imposed along with any other coercive measure as the court may deem fit the bench observedWhen one of the lawyers referred to cruelty against stray dogs the bench said What about the cruelty to humansOne of the advocates said the maintenance departments of highrise societies in DelhiNCR should be impleaded in the matterMake some sensible suggestions Give a suggestion which is practical and which can be accepted and reasonable Dont give an absurd kind of a proposition in court the bench saidThe top court also said that it was gradually and slowly monitoring the issue so that ultimately the objective was achievedThe bench said the chief secretaries should remain present before it on November 3 otherwise we will hold the court in auditoriumIn its August 22 order the top court modified its earlier direction prohibiting the release of vaccinated stray dogs from pounds in DelhiNCR calling it too harsh and ordered the canines be released post sterilisation and dewormingThe bench had said that municipal authorities would continue to comply with its August 11 directions to pick up stray dogs from all localities in Delhi Ghaziabad Noida Faridabad and Gurugram and immediately create dog shelters or poundsIt said the August 11 direction prohibiting the release of the picked up stray dogs shall be kept in abeyance for the time beingIt clarified that relocation should not apply to dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected with rabies and those displaying aggressionA twojudge bench of the apex court on August 11 passed a slew of directions including ordering the authorities in DelhiNCR to start picking up stray dogs from all localities at the earliest and relocate the canines to dog sheltersThe suo motu case was initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies particularly among children in the national capitalThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever